Characteristics Associated With the Acceptance of Patient Medication Information Sheets Among Michigan Pharmacists

The dilfusion of innovation theory was used as a framework to examine differences between purchasers and nonpurchasers of a set of written medication information sheets sponsored by the Michigan Pharmacists Association. Self-administered questionnaires (n = 154) and follow-up telephone interviews 18 months later (n = 33) obtained data from Michigan pharmacists regarding socioeconomic, personality, communication, and practice behavior variables. Pharmacists' cynicism and their exposure to mass media about Ule sheets were the most highly correlated and predictive variables for purchasing the sheets. Pharmacists who purchased the sheets tended to use them as an innovation to improve their patient counseling behavior. The findings of the study suggest that pharmacists extensively involved in their professional organizations are more innovative in the distributive aspects of pharmacy and are more willing to try new practice ideas in patient counseling.