Abstract
Designing drug instructions that communicate effectively to both experts and lay users requires understanding of their different information needs. This study examines how healthcare professionals and the public differ in their priorities and cognitive focus when interpreting drug instructions, offering design guidance for future instructions and labeling system. Using a two-stage approach, we conducted a survey of 111 professionals and 123 public participants to assess their perceived importance of 22 information items, followed by focus groups exploring perceptual and structural expectations. Professionals prioritized procedural accuracy and detailed guidance, while public users emphasized clarity and safety. Despite these differences, both groups shared six core items that informed a three-tier information framework: Basic Treatment and Safety, Professional Medication Support, and Additional Attribute Reference. By aligning distinct user needs with information hierarchy, this study advances inclusive communication design that enhances the usability, transparency, and safety of drug instructions.
Keywords
drug instruction design, healthcare professionals, public users, information framework
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2026.1693
Citation
Shi, H., Wang, H., Luan, Z., and Huang, C. (2026) Information hierarchies for better health communication: Mapping expert-user differences for drug instruction design, in Simeone, L., Gray, C. M., Verhoeven, A., de Götzen, A., Bakırlıoğlu, Y., Zohar, H., Stead, M., and Buwert, P. (eds.), DRS2026: Edinburgh, 8–12 June, Edinburgh, United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2026.1693
Creative Commons License
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Included in
Information hierarchies for better health communication: Mapping expert-user differences for drug instruction design
Designing drug instructions that communicate effectively to both experts and lay users requires understanding of their different information needs. This study examines how healthcare professionals and the public differ in their priorities and cognitive focus when interpreting drug instructions, offering design guidance for future instructions and labeling system. Using a two-stage approach, we conducted a survey of 111 professionals and 123 public participants to assess their perceived importance of 22 information items, followed by focus groups exploring perceptual and structural expectations. Professionals prioritized procedural accuracy and detailed guidance, while public users emphasized clarity and safety. Despite these differences, both groups shared six core items that informed a three-tier information framework: Basic Treatment and Safety, Professional Medication Support, and Additional Attribute Reference. By aligning distinct user needs with information hierarchy, this study advances inclusive communication design that enhances the usability, transparency, and safety of drug instructions.