Impact of Bilingual Prescription Medication Labels Among Elderly Singaporeans
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2, Hypertension
About this trial
This is an interventional health services research trial for Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 focused on measuring Medication adherence, Prescription Medication Labels, Bilingual prescription medication labels, Anti-diabetic drugs, Older adults, Medication management self-efficacy, Health literacy, Literacy, Anti-hypertensives, Glucose-lowering agent
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- Singapore citizen/permanent resident
- Aged 50 years and above
- Just received a new (i.e., not received before) oral medication for a chronic disease
- No moderate/severe cognitive impairment (5 or more correct responses on the Abbreviated Mental Test, AMT)
- Not deaf (self-reported)
- No binocular presenting near vision impairment (near visual acuity, with routinely used spectacles/lenses: at least 6/15 (0.40 logMAR) on the Landolt's C chart)
- Able to speak at least 1 of the 4 official languages;
- Unable to read in English but able to read another official language (as they will benefit the most from bilingual PMLs)
- Assessed as non-adherent
Exclusion Criteria:
- Patients who received, from the prescribing physician, a set of instructions for their new oral medication that does not match standard instructions (as the bilingual instructions for non-standard instructions would not be prepared for beforehand)
Sites / Locations
- Singapore General Hospital
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Arm 3
Arm 4
No Intervention
Experimental
No Intervention
Experimental
Pilot Trial A, Usual Care arm
Pilot Trial A, Intervention arm
Pilot Trial B, Usual Care arm
Pilot Trial B, Intervention arm
At recruitment, participants will be dispensed with new medication provided together with PMLs in English. After 2 weeks, data will be collected during a home visit and no changes will be made to the PMLs. After another 2 weeks, data will be collected and Rx Cap pill bottles will be retrieved.
At recruitment, participants will be dispensed new medication in Rx Cap pill bottles provided with PMLs in English. After 2 weeks, a home visit will be conducted, where the English PMLs will be switched out with bilingual PMLs. A final home visit will be done after another 2 weeks, and the labels will be switched back to the standard-issue PMLs issued by SGH, and the Rx Cap pill bottles will be retrieved.
At recruitment, participants will be dispensed new medication in Rx Cap pill bottles provided with PMLs in English. After 2 weeks, data will be collected and Rx Cap bottles will be retrieved.
At recruitment, participants will be dispensed new medication in Rx Cap pill bottles, provided with bilingual PMLs. After 2 weeks, data will be collected accordingly during the home visit and Rx Cap bottles will be retrieved. Bilingual labels will be removed and participants will resume usage of standard-issue SGH PMLs.