title: Nonprescription medication use and literacy among New Hampshire eighth graders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess whether New Hampshire (NH) eighth graders were self-medicating with over-the-counter (OTC) medications, had literacy skills necessary to safely and accurately interpret OTC medication labels, and showed improvement in OTC medication safe use and literacy skills after student pharmacist-led education.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional repeated-measures study.
  
  
  METHODS
  NH, five separate sessions, in 2010 and 2011.
  
  
  METHODS
  101 NH eighth grade students.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants answered questions derived from OTC drug facts labels that assessed OTC medication safe use and literacy before and after a student pharmacist-led presentation describing each section of the labels.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participant use of OTC medications, whether participants interpreted OTC drug facts labels correctly, and whether participants were able to identify safe use of OTC medications before and after instruction about OTC drug facts labels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  57% of participants reported taking OTC medications in the previous month, 22% reported taking OTC medications autonomously, and 43% reported checking with a trusted adult before self-administration. After student pharmacist-led education, significant improvements were seen in identifying product indications, calculating adult doses, interpreting adverse effects, knowing when to call a medical provider, understanding proper medication storage, identifying expiration dates, and identifying duplicate medications in products.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NH eighth graders were self-medicating with OTC medications. Significant improvements in OTC medication label literacy were seen after student pharmacist-led education. These results provide evidence of the need for, and positive effects of, OTC medication education among U.S. adolescents.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy-Worcester/Manchester, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Manchester, NH, USA.
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Abel
authors.forename: Kerri
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Dustin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Waller
authors.forename: Maha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abdalla
authors.forename: Carroll-Ann W
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Goldsmith
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009513:New Hampshire; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D063046:Patient Medication Knowledge; D012651:Self Medication / Q000523:psychology*; D013339:Students, Pharmacy
chemical_list: D004366:Nonprescription Drugs