title: Medication knowledge to be improved in participants in community universities in Taiwan: Outcome of a nationwide community university program.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess knowledge improvement by the participants in a pharmacist-facilitated national community education program over a 4-month semester and to identify the educational needs of adults related to medications.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a single-group, pre- and post-program comparative study. From February 2005 to February 2006, 1983 community residents participating in the education program implemented at 57 community universities nationwide were included. A questionnaire consisting of 50 true/false questions was administered before and after the program to assess the participants' medication knowledge. Paired t test was used to analyze the pre- and post-program differences and generalized linear mixed models were applied to examine the demographic variables that might influence the background knowledge and outcome after adjusting for school effects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 848 participants (42.8%) completed the pre-to-post questionnaire. Baseline medication knowledge was positively correlated with participants' education level and negatively correlated with age. Significant improvement (11.3%, p < 0.001) in medication knowledge was evident at the end of the program. The age and education level were significant determinants in the improvement of the pre-to-post program test score. The specific areas that required improvement most in the knowledge of the participants were: instructions on refill prescriptions, proper storage of medication, the health insurance system, drug use in special populations, and over-the-counter drugs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This national program improved participants' medication knowledge over a 4-month period. Patient counseling focusing more on the knowledge deficiency identified in this study during patient care is recommended.
authors: Division of Social and Administrative Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States; Department of Pharmacy, National Taiwan University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Yen-Ming
authors: YM
authors: Huang
authors: Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors: Yea-Huei Kao
authors: YH
authors: Yang
authors: Graduate Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Swu-Jane
authors: SJ
authors: Lin
authors: School of Pharmacy, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Karin Chiung-Sheue
authors: KC
authors: Chen
authors: Yuanda Pharmacy, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Chuan-Chi
authors: CC
authors: Kuo
authors: Department of Pharmacy, National Taiwan University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; School of Pharmacy, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: flwu@ntu.edu.tw.
authors: Fe-Lin Lin
authors: FL
authors: Wu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006078:Government Programs; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D063046:Patient Medication Knowledge / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010594:Pharmacies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Taiwan; health education; knowledge; pharmacist