Acceptability of an education computer multimedia on safe use of medication in patients and family members

Background: Programs for improving safety in medication often ignore the patient's perspective although patients are usually the victims of medication errors. Therefore, educating patients or family members to participate in safety prevention on medication use during care delivery is essential. The aim was to develop a computer education multimedia on patient's safe use of medication, and evaluate its acceptability and short-term effect. Methods: The one group pre-and post-training design was used in outpatient or inpatient setting at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, where located at northern Taiwan. A questionnaire about the past and future practice of medication use, and their satisfaction towards the multimedia was asked. Results: One hundred twenty two participants were enrolled. The score of pretest were higher in family members than that in the patients (p = 0.0152). After showing the education multimedia, significant increase on the posttest was seen in both the patients (0.43 ± 0.6, p < 0.0001) and the family members (0.32 ± 0.6, p < 0.0001). Overall satisfaction was 98.2%. Conclusion: Our education multimedia had short-term effect on raising the participants' awareness towards the safe use of medication. Their satisfaction of the multimedia was very high.