Senior Friendly New Design Blister Package with the Function of Fall Prevention

Abstract

The blister package with hard paper mount is most popular type package for osteoporosis drugs in Japan. The space of paper mount is useful for showing instruction and information, however since main user are the elderly, they are often fall pills, or difficulty of opening. To evaluate usability of new design blister package with function of fall prevention and easy handling, we have done subjective and objective study. And compare with popular type blister packages and new ones. Both subjective data of the package and sensory test has been done. Subjects of sensory test include ordinary elderly and patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). We also measured pinch power of all subjects. Comparison of several items including opening status, prevention of pill dropping and understanding instruction between ordinary type (A) and new design type (B) packages, there is no significant difference of evaluation between A and B with NRS (Numerical Rating Scale). However, the score of B is same or better than A in every item. Evaluation by examiner, all subjects take out pill successfully using type B without dropping, including RA group. From over all evaluation, the new type blister package has possibility to use among any elderly users as universal packages.