No blank slates: Pre-existing schemas about pharmaceuticals predict memory for side effects |
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Authors: | Monika K Heller Sarah CE Chapman |
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Institution: | Research Department of Practice and Policy, University College London School of Pharmacy, London, UK |
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Abstract: | Objectives: Attribution of symptoms as medication side effects is informed by pre-existing beliefs about medicines and perceptions of personal sensitivity to their effects (pharmaceutical schemas). We tested whether (1) pharmaceutical schemas were associated with memory (recall/recognition) for side effect information (2) memory explained the attribution of a common unrelated symptom as a side effect.Design: In this analogue study participants saw the patient leaflet of a fictitious asthma drug listing eight side effects.Main outcome measures: We measured recall and recognition memory for side effects and used a vignette to test whether participants attributed an unlisted common symptom (headache) as a side effect.Results: Participants who perceived pharmaceuticals as more harmful in general recalled fewer side effects correctly (rCorrect Recall = ?.273), were less able to differentiate between listed and unlisted side effects (rRecognition Sensitivity = ?.256) and were more likely to attribute the unlisted headache symptom as a side effect (rside effect attribution = .381, ps < .01). The effect of harm beliefs on side effect attribution was partially mediated by correct recall of side effects.Conclusion: Pharmaceutical schemas are associated with memory for side effect information. Memory may explain part of the association between pharmaceutical schemas and the attribution of unrelated symptoms as side effects. |
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Keywords: | pharmaceutical schemas memory side effects beliefs about medicines questionnaire perceived sensitivity to medicines scale |
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