Carvajal MJ, Clauson KA, Gershman J, Polen HH. Associations of gender and age groups on the knowledge and use of drug information resources by American pharmacists.
Pharm Pract (Granada) 2013;
11:71-80. [PMID:
24155853 PMCID:
PMC3798172 DOI:
10.4321/s1886-36552013000200003]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2012] [Accepted: 06/15/2013] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective
To explore knowledge and use of drug information resources by pharmacists and
identify patterns influenced by gender and age-group classification.
Methods
A survey questionnaire was mailed nationwide to 1,000 practitioners working
in community (n = 500) and hospital (n = 500) settings who answer drug
information questions as part of their expected job responsibilities.
Responses pertaining to drug information resource use and knowledge of
different types of drug-related queries, resource media preferences, and
perceived adequacy of resources maintained in the pharmacy were analyzed by
gender and age group. The t statistic was used to test for significant
differences of means and percentages between genders and between age groups.
Descriptive statistics were used to characterize other findings.
Results
Gender and age group classification influenced patterns of knowledge and use
of drug information resources by pharmacists. They also affected
pharmacists’ perceptions of the most common types of questions prompting
them to consult a drug information reference, as well as the resources
consulted. Micromedex, exclusively available in electronic format, was the
most commonly consulted resource overall by pharmacists. Lexi-Comp Online
was the leading choice by women, preferred over Micromedex, but was not one
of the top two resources selected by men.
Conclusions
This study successfully identified the influence of gender and age-group
classification in assessing drug information resource knowledge and use of
general and specific types of drug-related queries.
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