Patient's role orientation for pharmacist consultation

The objective of this study was to determine if experientially-based factors or individual traits we selected affect patients' role orientation for pharmacist consultation. Data were collected from a randomly selected sample of 640 households in the United States. Of 562 surveys presumably delivered, 329 individuals (59 percent) responded. Of these, usable data for multiple regression analysis were provided by 312 respondents. Need for Cognition was the variable that exerted the greatest influence on Patient Role Orientation, followed by Experience with Consultation, Self-Perceived Medication Knowledge, Medication Purchase for a Child, and Involvement with Medications. We conclude that positive experiences with consultation can increase some patients' role orientation for it. However, we also identified a segment of patients for which this strategy might not work. Low Need for Cognition individuals might resist consultation because they may not have an intrinsic need to know more about their medications.