title: Impact of Educational Levels and Health Literacy on Community Acetaminophen Knowledge.
abstract: Patient understanding of acetaminophen is important for its safe and appropriate self-use. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in the San Francisco Bay Area to determine the impact of educational level, patient health literacy score, and other demographic characteristics on acetaminophen knowledge. A 17-item, in-person, paper-and-pen questionnaire containing questions about demographics and acetaminophen knowledge was administered to 311 adults outside 5 local grocery stores in varying socioeconomic communities. Knowledge assessed was whether Tylenol-McNeil contains acetaminophen, maximum daily dose, and primary organ affected by toxicity. Participant health literacy was evaluated using the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine-Short Form (REALM-SF) test. Of the 300 who successfully completed the study, only 3.8% of all subjects were able to answer all 3 acetaminophen knowledge questions correctly regardless of educational level or health literacy score. This reaffirms that a lack of appropriate acetaminophen knowledge remains present in the general population, and further efforts to educate patients will be needed to prevent adverse events.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Practice, Touro University California College of Pharmacy, Vallejo, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Eric J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Ip
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Practice, Touro University California College of Pharmacy, Vallejo, CA, USA terrill.tang@tu.edu.
authors.forename: Terrill T-L
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Practice, Touro University California College of Pharmacy, Vallejo, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Social, Behavioral, and Administrative Sciences, Touro University California College of Pharmacy, Vallejo, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Junhua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Practice, Touro University California College of Pharmacy, Vallejo, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Derren S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Cheongsiatmoy
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D057220:Health Literacy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000082:Acetaminophen
keywords: acetaminophen; educational level; health literacy; patient education