TY - JOUR

T1 - The effectiveness of direct to healthcare professional communication – A systematic review of communication factor studies

AU - Møllebæk, Mathias

AU - Kaae, Susanne

AU - De Bruin, Marie Louise

AU - Callréus, Torbjörn

AU - Jossan, Sukhwinder

AU - Hallgreen, Christine E.

PY - 2019/5

Y1 - 2019/5

N2 - Background: Direct to healthcare professional communication (DHPC) is the prevalent regulatory measure to inform about and potentially mitigate newly identified drug risks in EU and USA. According to multiple studies and reviews, however, the effectiveness of DHPC to reduce risk is less than optimal. Prior systematic reviews have indicated that contextual, qualitative knowledge of communication factors related to the clinical setting is needed to further explain and supplement findings in quantitative effectiveness studies. Objectives: This article systematically reviews studies of DHPC and, on that basis, describes the communication factors that influence the effectiveness of DHPC in order to discuss future research trajectories. Methods: PubMed, Scopus (including Embase) and Web of Science databases were searched for studies on communication about emergent drug risk to healthcare professionals, excluding studies limited to the quantifiable effect of communication. The search results were deductively categorized using the Communication Sequence Model. Then, prevalent themes within categories were identified and described using thematic analysis. Results: A total of 16 studies published between 1993 and 2017 were included; 12 based on surveys, 2 on document analysis, and 2 primarily on interviews. The prevalent themes included “Health Care Professionals (HCPs) have less trust in communication from industry than authorities and medical associations” “HCPs have diverse preferences for how to receive drug risk information” and “Clinical usability of the presented information is less than optimal.” Conclusion: Communication factors in DHPCs are multiple, multi-facetted and are examined primarily by surveys. Future research would benefit from identifying nationally dependent factors and employing methods that better provide knowledge on the qualitative reception and handling of drug risk communication.

AB - Background: Direct to healthcare professional communication (DHPC) is the prevalent regulatory measure to inform about and potentially mitigate newly identified drug risks in EU and USA. According to multiple studies and reviews, however, the effectiveness of DHPC to reduce risk is less than optimal. Prior systematic reviews have indicated that contextual, qualitative knowledge of communication factors related to the clinical setting is needed to further explain and supplement findings in quantitative effectiveness studies. Objectives: This article systematically reviews studies of DHPC and, on that basis, describes the communication factors that influence the effectiveness of DHPC in order to discuss future research trajectories. Methods: PubMed, Scopus (including Embase) and Web of Science databases were searched for studies on communication about emergent drug risk to healthcare professionals, excluding studies limited to the quantifiable effect of communication. The search results were deductively categorized using the Communication Sequence Model. Then, prevalent themes within categories were identified and described using thematic analysis. Results: A total of 16 studies published between 1993 and 2017 were included; 12 based on surveys, 2 on document analysis, and 2 primarily on interviews. The prevalent themes included “Health Care Professionals (HCPs) have less trust in communication from industry than authorities and medical associations” “HCPs have diverse preferences for how to receive drug risk information” and “Clinical usability of the presented information is less than optimal.” Conclusion: Communication factors in DHPCs are multiple, multi-facetted and are examined primarily by surveys. Future research would benefit from identifying nationally dependent factors and employing methods that better provide knowledge on the qualitative reception and handling of drug risk communication.

KW - Communication factors

KW - Direct to healthcare professional communication

KW - Pharmacovigilance

KW - Risk minimization measures

U2 - 10.1016/j.sapharm.2018.06.015

DO - 10.1016/j.sapharm.2018.06.015

M3 - Review

C2 - 31130181

AN - SCOPUS:85049302887

VL - 15

SP - 475

EP - 482

JO - Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy

JF - Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy

SN - 1551-7411

IS - 5

ER -