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- Title
What is on the Traditional Herbal Medicine Label? Technical Communication and Patient Safety in Ghana.
- Authors
Agboka, Godwin Y.
- Abstract
Purpose: With a focus on patient safety in the marketing and use of non-prescription traditional herbal medicines (THMs), this article reports the findings of an analysis of documentation practices associated with 15 sampled THMs (nine labeled and six unlabeled) selected from stores, pharmaceutical shops, buses, traditional clinics, and streets of Ghana. The article is based on the fundamental assumption that THMs, much like conventional drugs, have side effects or toxic components, and therefore require effective documentation to alert users. Method: The article employs the purposive sampling strategy of critical case sampling to analyze the 15 THM samples. This approach allowed me to select informationrich cases. These cases shed light on the challenges of labeling THMs and how those challenges impact patient safety. Using these cases, I made logical generalizations based on the outcomes of the analysis of the data. Results: My observations revealed that some manufacturers made few attempts to provide information about the importance of pre-existing medical conditions, contraindications, period of use, who to contact or how to respond in case of overdose or adverse reactions, detailed dosage instructions, side effects, and potential drug interactions. Conclusion: Although medical and health communication is a growing area in the field of technical communication, the specific topic of patient safety as it relates to THM documentation remains underexplored. Moreover, the relationship between patient safety and THMs is an important aspect of the healthcare needs for many people, and therefore deserves more attention.
- Publication
Technical Communication, 2021, Vol 68, Issue 1, p4
- ISSN
0049-3155
- Publication type
Article