Estrogen patient package insert: Medication acceptance despite negative attitudes

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Abstract
Women (100) receiving short courses of estrogen post-partum to suppress lactation were surveyed. Thirty-six had significant apprehension about estrogens, but took them. These women were significantly older and better educated and 92% of them were married. Only 1/3 of the nonapprehensive women were married and they had significantly lower family incomes. More of the apprehensive women read the estrogen patient package insert (PPI) and almost 30% developed negative attitudes toward estrogens. The major concerns of these women reflected information in the PPI about cancer and thromboembolism. The reasons given for taking estrogens despite apprehension included the lower risk of short courses, assurance from physicians, nurses or family members and the desired therapeutic effect. These women should not be given the current estrogen PPI, which was designed to warn women of the risks of long-term estrogen use; a PPI should be written specifically for patients receiving short courses. Similar problems will arise with the PPI for other medications that have different risks for different therapeutic indications.

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