Journal article
Promoting health communication between the community-dwelling well-elderly and pharmacists: The Ask Me 3 program
Journal of the American Pharmacists Association, Vol.48(6), pp.784-792
11/01/2008
DOI: 10.1331/JAPhA.2008.07073
PMID: 19019809
Abstract
Objective: To describe readiness to use clear health communication principles with a pharmacist before and after participating in the Ask Me 3 (What is my main problem?, What do I need to do?, Why is it important for me to do this?) program.
Design: Modified, separate-sample, pretest - posttest study.
Setting: Senior centers in Polk County, IA, between March 2006 and February 2007.
Participants: 106 community-dwelling well-elderly.
Intervention: Information on demographic characteristics, regularity of health care and medication use, health literacy level, and a measurement of multidimensional health locus of control were collected from participants, who were then were randomly allocated to one of three assessment subgroups: (1) pretest - posttest, (2) pretest only, and (3) posttest only during each of 12 Ask Me 3 program educational sessions.
Main outcome measure: Readiness to use the seven principles of clear health communication described in the Ask Me 3 program.
Results: Participants were predominantly women and white, had a high school education or higher, had a yearly income of $ 25,000 or less, and had a mean age of 75.1 years. A majority reported good to excellent health status and visited their physician two or more times per year. All took medications regularly for a medical problem. A minority had inadequate to marginal health literacy. Before the Ask Me 3 program, a majority reported planning to or actively asking their pharmacist (1) for help with questions about their medications (88.2%), (2) to explain how to take their medication (82.6%), (3) to describe the main problem for which their medication is being prescribed (78.6%), and (4) to describe what can happen if they don't take their medication (74.3%). Approximately one-half of participants (55.2%) made a list of health or medication concerns to tell their pharmacist. A minority brought a list of current medications (47.8%) or brought a friend or family member to help when visiting their pharmacist (27.9%). A significantly higher proportion of participants reported planning to or actively bringing a list of current medications when visiting the pharmacist (P <= 0.025) after participating in the Ask Me 3 program. Increases were not statistically significant for the remaining principles.
Conclusion: The Ask Me 3 program is a practical tool that creates awareness and reinforces principles of clear health communication. The Ask Me 3 program should be evaluated in diverse pharmacy and health care settings with patients at high risk for poor health communication.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Promoting health communication between the community-dwelling well-elderly and pharmacists: The Ask Me 3 program
- Creators
- Michael J. Miller - University of OklahomaMary Ann Abrams - UnityPoint HealthBarbara McClintock - Senior Serv Polk Cty, Des Moines, IA USAMatthew A. Cantrell - University of IowaCorey D. Dossett - Drake UniversityErin M. McCleeary - Drake UniversityMeridith J. Mcgee - Drake UniversityKelly J. O'Keefe - Drake UniversityEmily R. Sager - Southern Arizona VA Health Care System
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of the American Pharmacists Association, Vol.48(6), pp.784-792
- Publisher
- Amer Pharmaceutical Assoc
- DOI
- 10.1331/JAPhA.2008.07073
- PMID
- 19019809
- ISSN
- 1544-3191
- eISSN
- 1544-3450
- Number of pages
- 9
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 11/01/2008
- Academic Unit
- Pharmacy Practice and Science
- Record Identifier
- 9984365905402771
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