Background: Typography significantly influences the legibility and usability of patient information. This study investigated the implementation and changes of different typographic subjects in package leaflets used in the European Union.
Methods: A randomly selected sample of all German package leaflets investigated in 2005 was reanalyzed in 2015 for different important and predefined typographic subjects.
Results: The 138 package leaflets revisited in 2015 showed significant increases in word count (average 2551 words), font size (1.43 mm x-height, 2.0 mm cap-height), line spacing (3.13 mm), use of text attributes (for example, lists in 94.2% and bold print in 83.2% package leaflet's body text), use of light-condensed or condensed font (34.1%), and use of portrait format (81.9%) ( P ≤ .015). Otherwise, line length significantly decreased to on average 62.6 characters per line ( P = .012) and the classes of fonts used remained almost unchanged.
Conclusion: To achieve any further increase of package leaflet font size and other typographic improvements, a significant decrease in text volume is essential. To this end, replacing the current 840-word QRD template with a 200-word version would allow optimization of typography in all package leaflets, without deleting information essential for patients or incurring any unfavorable format increase.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/2168479017699654 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Leaflet: Operative Steps for Interventional Studies in Neuroscience.
Neurol Int
December 2024
Santa Lucia Foundation, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00179 Rome, Italy.
Background/objectives: Drug development involves multiple stages, spanning from initial discovery to clinical trials. This intricate process entails understanding disease mechanisms, identifying potential drug targets, and evaluating the efficacy and safety of candidate drugs. Clinical trials are designed to assess the effects of drugs on humans, focusing on determining safety profiles, appropriate modes of administration, and comparative efficacy against placebos.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEffect of pharmaceutical pictograms on the textual comprehension of Prescription Medication Leaflets: A randomized controlled trial.
Res Social Adm Pharm
January 2025
Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Granada, Spain.
Article Synopsis
- Clear patient instructions are crucial for effective pharmaceutical care, but there is a notable gap between the readability of medication information and the skills of many individuals, particularly Spanish adolescents.
- In a study involving 590 students, researchers assessed their understanding of Prescription Medication Leaflets for three medications, both with and without US Pharmacopeia (USP) pictograms, using questionnaires and health literacy assessments.
- Results revealed that comprehension was generally low and fell short of European standards, but the use of pictograms significantly improved understanding, especially for students with higher health literacy levels, indicating a need for better medication labeling strategies.
Incorporation of ionizable lipids into the outer shell of lipid-coated calcium phosphate nanoparticles boosts cellular mRNA delivery.
Int J Pharm
December 2024
Department of Medical BioSciences, Radboud University Medical Center, The Netherlands; Department of Medical Biochemistry, College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Arabian Gulf University, Manama 329, Bahrain. Electronic address:
Messenger RNA is a highly promising biotherapeutic modality with great potential in preventive and therapeutic vaccination, and in the modulation of cellular function through transient expression of therapeutic proteins. However, for cellular delivery, mRNA requires packaging into delivery vehicles that mediate uptake and also shield the mRNA against degradation. Lipid-coated calcium phosphate (LCP) nanoparticles encapsulate the mRNA in a calcium phosphate core, which is coated by a bilayer of structural lipids, positively charged lipids and pegylated lipid to mediate cellular uptake and achieve colloidal stabilization.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFQuantification of Different Types of Waste and Batteries Associated With the Widespread Usage of Continuous Glucose Monitoring Systems.
J Diabetes Sci Technol
December 2024
Department of Landscape Ecology and Resources Management, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany.
Background: People with diabetes benefit from continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems. A downside of these valuable aids for diabetes management is the generation of a tremendous amount of waste. This study aimed to quantify this CGM-related waste.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAI-Assisted Application for Pediatric Drug Dosing.
Stud Health Technol Inform
November 2024
Department of Automation and Applied Informatics, University Politehnica Timişoara, Timişoara, Timiş, Romania.
Technology in the medical field is continuously advancing due to its numerous subdomains and the ever-growing medical needs of people. Information systems have become integral to doctors' daily routines in patient care, offering flexibility and support in repetitive tasks, thereby allowing more time for critical activities. This paper presents the implementation of a machine learning algorithm, leveraging natural language processing (NLP) and labeling techniques, to analyze medical leaflets from Romania.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!