Mental Health Literacy of Pharmacy Students Compared to Nursing and Medical Students.

Objectives: To determine and compare the mental health literacy of pharmacy, nursing, and medical students.

Methods: Pharmacy, nursing, and medical students in the final year of their didactic program were administered a widely used mental health literacy questionnaire either via paper (nursing) or via email (pharmacy and medicine). For email questionnaires, weekly reminder emails with links for survey completion were sent over a three-week period.

Knowledge of and barriers to health literacy in Illinois.

Objective: To examine Illinois pharmacists' knowledge of and barriers to health literacy.

Design: Cross-sectional descriptive study.

Setting: Illinois, August to November 2009.

Economic, clinical, and humanistic outcomes (ECHOs) of pharmaceutical care services for minority patients: a literature review.

Background: The U.S. population of racial/ethnic minorities continues to increase; however, health disparities and poor health outcomes among many of them continue to be a major public health problem confronting the U.

Depressive symptoms in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: do stress and coping matter?

This article examines the relationship among diabetes-related stress, appraisal, coping and depressive symptoms in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) using the transactional model of stress and coping (TMSC) as the theoretical framework. In this cross-sectional study, a convenience sample of 201 patients with T2DM was recruited from three outpatient clinics. Patients with depressive symptoms reported significantly more diabetes-related stress than patients without depressive symptoms.

Identifying aspects of pharmacists' attitudes and barriers toward health literacy: a factor analytic study.

Background: Health literacy has gained prominence since the Institute of Medicine Report publicized the widespread prevalence of low health literacy. Pharmacists play an important role in enhancing health literacy as a result of their proximity to patients. Literature about pharmacists' perceptions and barriers in incorporating health literacy interventions is lacking.

An evaluation of the psychometric properties of the Purdue Pharmacist Directive Guidance Scale using SPSS and R software packages.

Background: The Purdue Pharmacist Directive Guidance (PPDG) Scale was developed to assess patients' perceptions of the level of pharmacist-provided (1) instruction and (2) feedback and goal-setting-2 aspects of pharmaceutical care. Calculations of its psychometric properties stemming from SPSS and R were similar, but distinct differences were apparent.

Objective: Using SPSS and R software packages, researchers aimed to examine the construct validity of the PPDG using a higher order factoring procedure; in tandem, McDonald's omega and Cronbach's alpha were calculated as means of reliability analyses.

Split-half and parallel reliabilities of the Purdue Pharmacist Directive Guidance Scale.

Using R and SPSS, various forms of split-half and parallel reliabilities were calculated. Robust split-half and parallel reliability coefficients for the Purdue Pharmacist Directive Guidance Scale are presented with coefficients greater than .84.

Active-learning strategies to develop health literacy knowledge and skills.

Objective: To implement active-learning exercises in a required pharmacy course and assess their impact on students' knowledge and confidence in identifying and communicating with patients with low health literacy, as part of a required course in cultural competency, health literacy, and health beliefs.

Design: Active-learning activities including administering health literacy assessments, identifying informal signs of low health literacy, conducting mock patient counseling sessions, rating the readability of drug information, analyzing information in drug advertisements, and writing patient education materials were incorporated into the 6-sesssion health literacy portion of the course.

Assessment: A pretest and posttest showed that students' knowledge of health literacy increased, and a retrospective pretest found improvement in students' confidence in their ability to care for patients with low health literacy.

Psychometric properties of the Purdue Pharmacist Directive Guidance (PPDG) Scale in a sample of diabetes patients in the Southwestern United States.

Despite the fairly widespread adoption of the 10-item Purdue Pharmacist Directive Guidance Scale (PPDG) over the last decade, only one study has assessed its psychometric properties. The present study examined the validity and reliability of the scale in a sample of 99 diabetic patients in the Southwestern United States. Principal axis factor analysis with Varimax rotation yielded two factors, "Instruction" and "Feedback and Goal Setting," similar to those found when the scale was originally developed.

Assessment of pharmacy student professionalism across a curriculum.

Objectives: To evaluate changes in professionalism across the curriculum among pharmacy students in different classes.

Methods: A professionalism instrument was administered early in the first (P1) year, upon completing the introductory pharmacy practice experiences (IPPE) near the end of the second (P2) year, and upon completing the advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPE) at the end of the fourth (P4) year.

Results: The professionalism scale and its subscales were compared for the 3 time points for the class of 2009.

A cultural competency course for pharmacy students.

Objective: To design, implement, and evaluate a course on health promotion and literacy.

Design: Course objectives such as the development of cultural competency skills, awareness of personal biases, and appreciation of differences in health beliefs among sociocultural groups were addressed using a team-based learning instructional strategy. Student learning outcomes were enhanced using readiness assessment tests (RATs), group presentations, portfolio reflections, and panel discussions.

Depressive symptoms in patients with type 2 diabetes in the ambulatory care setting: opportunities to improve outcomes in the course of routine care.

Objectives: To assess the frequency of untreated, self-reported depressive symptoms in a cross section of adult ambulatory patients with type 2 diabetes and to identify demographic and/or clinical characteristics associated with depressive symptoms in study patients.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Three ambulatory care clinics in the southwestern United States in fall 2005.

Variables impacting an academic pharmacy career choice.

Objectives: To identify the variables associated with an academic pharmacy career choice among the following groups: final professional-year doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) students, pharmacy residents, pharmacy faculty members within the first 5 years of academic employment, and clinical pharmacy practitioners.

Methods: A cross-sectional design Web-based survey instrument was developed using the online tool SurveyMonkey. The survey link was distributed via e-mail and postcards, and data were collected anonymously.

Pharmacy students' knowledge, attitudes, and evaluation of direct-to-consumer advertising.

Objectives: To assess pharmacy students' knowledge, attitudes, and evaluation of direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA).

Methods: A cross sectional, self-administered, 106-item survey instrument was used to assess first, second, and third professional year pharmacy students' knowledge about DTCA regulations, attitudes toward DTCA, and evaluation of DTC advertisements with different brief summary formats (professional labeling and patient labeling) and in different media sources (print and television).

Results: One hundred twenty (51.

A student orientation program to build a community of learners.

Objectives: To describe and evaluate a new student orientation program designed to lay the foundations for a community of learners.

Design: A weeklong orientation program structured as the first week of an 18-week fall semester was held for the first-professional year class. Each of the activities supported program objectives and developed elements of a community of learners.

The cost-effectiveness of two strategies for vaccinating US veterans with hepatitis C virus infection against hepatitis A and hepatitis B viruses.

Objectives: Although hepatitis A and B vaccinations are recommended for patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV), the ideal vaccination strategy has not been determined. Our objective was to model the cost-effectiveness of two strategies for vaccinating patients with HCV infection against hepatitis A (HAV) and hepatitis B (HBV) viruses. The strategies evaluated were: universal vaccination with the combined HAV and HBV vaccine, and selective vaccination based on immunity determined by blood testing.

Relationships between Hispanic ethnicity and attitudes and beliefs toward herbal medicine use among older adults.

Background: Little is known about the underlying intentions to use herbal medicines among Hispanic older adults. Understanding these intentions is critical to the provision of effective counseling.

Objectives: The objectives were to (1) identify predictors of the intention to use herbal medicines for health problems in the next 6 months among Hispanic and non-Hispanic older adults using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB); and (2) compare their beliefs underlying significant predictors of intention with use herbal medicines for health problems in the next 6 months.

New Mexico pharmacists' knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs toward prescribing oral emergency contraception.

Objective: To describe New Mexico pharmacists' knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs toward the prescribing of oral emergency contraception (EC) in their practices.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: New Mexico in January through March 2004.

Direct health care costs of 4 common skin ulcers in New Mexico Medicaid fee-for-service patients.

Objective: To determine health care costs associated with pressure ulcers, ulcers of the lower limbs, other chronic ulcers, and venous leg ulcers from the New Mexico Medicaid fee-for-service program perspective.

Design: Retrospective analysis of claims database

Main Outcome Measures: Physician visit, hospital, and prescription costs were determined for New Mexico Medicaid patients with a primary and/or secondary diagnosis of 1 of 4 identified categories of skin ulcers from January 1, 1994, through December 31, 1998. Costs were determined in terms of mean and median annual cost per patient and total costs per year.

Impact of pharmacists' directive guidance behaviors on patient satisfaction.

Objective: To determine the impact of directive guidance (DG) behaviors by pharmacists on patient satisfaction with pharmaceutical care services. DG behaviors are social support behaviors and include such activities as supplying information about medications and providing encouragement and feedback regarding drug therapy.

Design: Cross-sectional observational study using a self-administered survey.

Developing a community-specific health-related quality of life (HRQOL) questionnaire for asthma: the Asthma-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire for Native American Adults (AQLQ-NAA).

The Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire for Native American Adults (AQLQ-NAA) was developed by modifying the Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire-Marks (AQLQ-M) using the focus group technique. The 19-item AQLQ-NAA has emphasis on restrictions in social, community, and cultural activities. Higher scores indicate a better quality of life.

A survey of the expectations of New Mexico emergency physicians regarding the services of the New Mexico Poison and Drug Information Center.

Objective: Physicians have been surveyed concerning their satisfaction with poison center services but have never been questioned regarding their expectations. This study was conducted to clarify the expectations of emergency physicians in New Mexico regarding the service of their regional poison center, the New Mexico Poison and Drug Information Center.

Design: Five New Mexico emergency department physicians were interviewed about their expectations when calling the New Mexico Poison and Drug Information Center.