Table 4.

Reason for enquiries reported in studies examining patient medicines helpline services

Enquiry category	Numbers and percentages of studies reporting the specified category as the primary reason for enquiries
	Total (n=15)	Range of reported percentages of enquiries (mean; WM)	Sample size range (total N)
Adverse effects	69 24 25 45 52 53	21%–46% (33%; 37%)	56–209 (at least 525*)
Administration or dosage	521 28 46 49 50	21%–52% (37%; 34%)	49–538 (1058)
Interactions	123	22%	500
Appropriateness or safety of medicines	113	50%	637
Indications, efficacy or mechanisms of action	151	34%	At least 1000†
Insufficient information on hospital discharge letter	112	24%	413

Enquiry categories are listed according to the number of studies within each category. There may be overlap between some enquiry categories, since study authors did not use exactly the same categories.

*Two of the six studies did not report their sample size.

†This study reported their sample size as 'over 1000'.

WM, weighted mean (weighted by sample size).