The impact of training in the field of drug-food interactions on the awareness of this problem among Polish physicians - pilot study

Abstract

Object of the study Drug-food interactions can reduce or potentiate the effect of pharmacotherapy, contribute to an increase or decrease in the frequency and severity of adverse drug reactions, impair nutrient absorption or improve their bioavailability. One of the main sources of information on drug-food interactions for patients are physicians. Aim of the study The aim of the study was to analyse Polish physicians' knowledge of drug-food interactions before and after training in this area. Material and methods The study involved 285 physicians of various specialties. Study participants received a validated questionnaire containing 3 initial questions (asked only before training) and 30 single- or multiple-choice questions (asked twice, before and after training). Trainings were performed in three Polish cities: Gdynia, Kraków and Warsaw. Results 66 physicians (23%) returned pre- and post-training questionnaires. The mean age of respondents was 44.5 ± 14 years, 65% were female. 80% of participants judged that drug-food interactions can have a high or very high impact on patient safety and the effectiveness of pharmacotherapy. 52% of the respondents declared that while prescribing a drug, they always or almost always inform the patient at what time and how in relation to meals the drug should be taken, 21% admitted that they only provide this information when in their opinion it is relevant. On a scale of 1 - 5, where 1 refers to very low and 5 refers to very high, respondents rated their knowledge of drug-food interactions at an average of 2.6 before training and 3.9 after training. The mean percentage of correct answers to questions testing knowledge of drug-food interactions before and after training was 55% and 73%, respectively (p < 0.05, Chi2 test). Conclusions Although survey participants were aware of the importance of drug-food interactions, their knowledge of the topic appeared to be moderate. The low return rate of the questionnaires suggests that the actual level of physicians’ knowledge may be much lower than observed in the survey. The training significantly improved the knowledge of drug-food interactions among the respondents. The survey indicates the need to educate Polish physicians on the proper use of drugs in relation to food.

Keywords

• knowledge
• physician
• interactions
• food
• drug