Chinese elders' communication about medicine

Older individuals in Hong Kong, Beijing, Harbin, and Suzhou completed a que stionnaire (Smith, Cunningham, & Hale, 1994) previously used in the United States about their communication about medicines. Like their U.S. counterpa rts, they reported only moderately frequent talk about medicines with their doctors and that they introduced the topic more often than their doctors. They also relied heavily on Western-trained doctors for information about m edicines, wanted most to know about side effects, and found print on Rx lab els too small. Individuals in mainland China rated their doctors' communica tion, asking for information, explaining, encouraging patient talk, and sha ring decisions higher than those in either Hong Kong or the United States. Doctors and patients in China, like those in the United States, apparently need more communication about medicines.