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Khanfar NM, Clauson KA, Polen HH, Shields KM. Self-reported influence of television-based direct-to-consumer advertising on patient seasonal allergy and asthma medication use: An internet survey. Curr Ther Res Clin Exp 2014; 69:130-41. [PMID: 24692792 DOI: 10.1016/j.curtheres.2008.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/15/2008] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Direct-to-consumer advertising (DDTCA) of medications, a marketing tool used by the pharmaceutical industry to increase patient awareness of products, affects both consumer behavior and, ultimately, physician prescribing practices. Billions of dollars are budgeted each year for DTCA, and its influence is far-reaching. However, little information is available about patient-initiated physician interactions in which television-bbased DTCA has played a role in consumer behavior. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to explore the influence of television-based DTCA on treatment changes in patient-initiated medication use. METHODS A 68-item survey instrument consisting of dichotomous, multiple-choice, and open-ended questions was constructed and sent to a convenience sample of US residents during 3 consecutive months ending in February 2005. The survey, which was accessed through an Internet link provided in the e-mail, was designed to capture data about patient perceptions and behaviors regarding television-based DTCA of prescription medications used for seasonal allergy and asthma as well as demographic information. Inferential and descriptive analyses were performed. Key tests included Crosstabs analysis and normal approximation to the binomial test with the z score. RESULTS Surveys were sent to 2500 individuals. A total of 427 valid surveys were returned for a 17.1% response rate. Of the 402 respondents (94.1%) who stated that they had seen DTCA for seasonal allergy medication, 50 (12.4%) said they had discussed the advertised medication with their physician and 22 of those discussions (44.0%) resulted in a change in treatment. Three hundred forty-two respondents (80.1%) stated that they had viewed DTCA for prescription asthma medications, and 23 of those respondents (6.7%) said that they had discussed the brand of asthma medication viewed on television with their physician. Those discussions resulted in a change in treatment for 9 respondents (39.1%). CONCLUSION Within th his limited, self-reported, survey sample, patient-initiated discussions with physicians regarding television-based DTCA of allergy and asthma medications resulted in a change of treatment in 44.0% and 39.1% of respondents, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nile M Khanfar
- Pharmaceutical and Administrative Sciences, Nova Southeastern University, College of Pharmacy-West Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
| | - Kevin A Clauson
- Pharmacy Practice Department, Nova Southeastern University, College of Pharmacy-West Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
| | - Hyla H Polen
- Nova Southeastern University, College of Pharmacy, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
| | - Kelly M Shields
- Department of Pharmacy Practice,Ohio Northern University, Raabe College of Pharmacy, Ada, Ohio
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2
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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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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel J Carvajal
- College of Pharmacy, Nova Southeastern University. Fort Lauderdale, FL ( United States )
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Benavides S, Polen HH, Goncz CE, Clauson KA. A systematic evaluation of paediatric medicines information content in clinical decision support tools on smartphones and mobile devices. Inform Prim Care 2011; 19:39-46. [PMID: 22118335 DOI: 10.14236/jhi.v19i1.792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Medication information is often poorly delineated for paediatric patients, resulting in high off-label and non-licensed use of drugs in this population. Access to accurate medicines information in this population becomes a necessity in order to avoid medication errors. Clinical decision support tools (CDSTs), which are increasingly available on mobile devices (e.g. smartphones), can provide healthcare providers with convenient access to paediatric medicines information at point of care. However, to date no systematic evaluation of the content in these CDSTs has been conducted. OBJECTIVES To evaluate paediatric medicines information in CDSTs for smartphones and other mobile devices. METHOD Evaluation of CDSTs according to scope and completeness was accomplished via weighted categories of 108 questions distributed evenly across three age groups: infants, children and adolescents. RESULTS Three paediatric-specific databases and six general databases were evaluated. The best performer provided 75.9% of the answers for scope and scored 69.7% for completeness. Databases generally performed less effectively in providing answers sourced from clinical guidelines compared with more conservative sources such as package inserts. CONCLUSIONS Overall, general medicines information CDSTs performed better than paediatric-specific CDSTs in both scope and completeness. Results from this study may help guide CDST selection on mobile devices by healthcare professionals whose patient populations include paediatrics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Benavides
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Nova Southeastern University College of Pharmacy, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA.
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Feichtl MM, Clauson KA, Alkhateeb FM, Jamass DS, Polen HH. Community pharmacists' use of language-access services in the United States. J Am Pharm Assoc (2003) 2011; 51:368-72. [DOI: 10.1331/japha.2011.10063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Polen HH, Clauson KA, Thomson W, Zapantis A, Lou JQ. Evaluation of nursing-specific drug information PDA databases used as clinical decision support tools. Int J Med Inform 2009; 78:679-87. [PMID: 19640779 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2009.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2009] [Revised: 05/06/2009] [Accepted: 06/19/2009] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nursing is arguably the most organizationally diverse healthcare profession. Educational backgrounds may vary, even among similarly credentialed nurses. Drug information databases used as clinical decision support tools can improve access to pharmacologic information at point-of-care when housed on personal digital assistants. They may also help address the disparity in drug information and pharmacology education between nurses. OBJECTIVES To evaluate nursing-specific drug information database content on personal digital assistants (PDAs). METHODS Seven nursing-specific PDA databases were evaluated for scope (absence or presence of an answer) and completeness (three-point scale) via the use of 80 general category and 80 subspecialty drug information questions. Erroneous information was also tracked. Individual scope and completeness scores were delineated by rank order and chi square was performed to determine differences in scope and completeness scores between the databases. RESULTS Davis's Drug Guide for Nurses (DDGN) and Nursing Lexi-Drugs (NLD) tied for the highest scores for scope, including each answering 72.5% of the 160 evaluation questions. No significant differences existed between their scores and those earned by Nursing2008 Drug Handbook (p<0.05). The highest scores for completeness were earned by NLD with 58.1% and DDGN at 57.1%. Saunders Nursing Drug Handbook was the only database that showed a significantly lower score in completeness as compared to the other six databases (p<0.05). A 4.2% overall error rate was found among database answers. DISCUSSION Significant differences were found among the performances in the databases evaluated in this study for their ability to answer commonly encountered drug information issues in nursing practice. All databases contained some erroneous information and even the top performers failed to provide answers to more than one-fourth of the questions posed. The availability of accurate and timely drug information at point-of-care can play a vital role in patient management and outcomes, but current resources that are available need to be improved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyla H Polen
- Nova Southeastern University, College of Pharmacy, Palm Beach Gardens, FL, USA.
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Khanfar NM, Polen HH, Clauson KA. Influence on consumer behavior: the impact of direct-to-consumer advertising on medication requests for gastroesophageal reflux disease and social anxiety disorder. J Health Commun 2009; 14:451-460. [PMID: 19657925 DOI: 10.1080/10810730903032978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
A 68-question Internet survey was used to determine the impact of televised direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) on consumer-initiated medication changes for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and social anxiety disorder (SAD). Of the 427 respondents, 10% that viewed DTCA for GERD and 6% that viewed DTCA for SAD reported that they subsequently initiated a conversation with their physician. Nearly half of respondents, 47.4% for GERD and 40% for SAD, reported that a change in therapy occurred as a direct result of these discussions. Televised DTCA for these two drug classes can have a significant impact on patient-initiated prescription requests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nile M Khanfar
- Nova Southeastern University, College of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical and Administrative Pharmacy, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33410, USA
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Abstract
The pharmaceutical industry spends billions of dollars annually on direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA). Patient perspectives on the impact of televised DTCA on health-related behaviors and issues were assessed by means of a 68-question survey. 58.6% of respondents believed that DTCA allowed consumers to have a more active role in managing their health. However, 27.6% felt DTCA caused confusion, and an alarming 17.8% of respondents stopped taking their medication because of concerns about serious side effects mentioned in DTCA. Overall, participants believed DTCA plays a useful role in health self-management; however, a considerable percentage thought that the cost outweighs the benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyla H Polen
- Nova Southeastern University, College of Pharmacy, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA.
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Clauson KA, Polen HH, Joseph SA, Zapantis A. Role of the pharmacist in pre-exposure chemoprophylaxis (PrEP) therapy for HIV prevention. Pharm Pract (Granada) 2009; 7:11-8. [PMID: 25147587 PMCID: PMC4139751 DOI: 10.4321/s1886-36552009000100002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [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: 09/22/2008] [Accepted: 11/21/2008] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
With a global estimate of 2.5 million new infections of HIV occurring yearly, discovering novel methods to help stem the spread of the virus is critical. The use of antiretroviral chemoprophylaxis for preventing HIV after accidental or occupational exposure and in maternal to fetal transmission has become a widely accepted method to combat HIV. Based on this success, pre-exposure chemoprophylaxis (PrEP) is being explored in at-risk patient populations such as injecting drug users, female sex workers and men who have sex with men. This off-label and unmonitored use has created a need for education and intervention by pharmacists and other healthcare professionals. Pharmacists should educate themselves on PrEP and be prepared to counsel patients about their means of obtaining it (e.g. borrowing or sharing medications and ordering from disreputable Internet pharmacies). They should also be proactive about medication therapy management in these patients due to clinically important drug interactions with PrEP medications. Only one trial exploring the safety and efficacy of tenofovir as PrEP has been completed thus far. However, five ongoing trials are in various stages and two additional studies are scheduled for the near future. Unfortunately, studies in this arena have met with many challenges that have threatened to derail progress. Ethical controversy surrounding post-trial care of participants who seroconvert during studies, as well as concerns over emerging viral resistance and logistical site problems, have already halted several PrEP trials. Information about these early trials has already filtered down to affected individuals who are experimenting with this unproven therapy as an “evening before pill”. The potential for PrEP is promising; however, more extensive trials are necessary to establish its safety and efficacy. Pharmacists are well-positioned to play a key role in helping patients make choices about PrEP, managing their therapy, and developing policy with an eye towards the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin A Clauson
- College of Pharmacy - West Palm Beach, Nova Southeastern University . Palm Beach Gardens, FL ( United States )
| | - Hyla H Polen
- Integrated Consulting Associates. Jupiter, FL ( United States )
| | - Shine A Joseph
- Specialty Resident in Drug Information. College of Pharmacy - West Palm Beach, Nova Southeastern University . Palm Beach Gardens, FL ( United States )
| | - Antonia Zapantis
- College of Pharmacy, Nova Southeastern University . Fort Lauderdale, FL ( United States )
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Clauson KA, Khanfar NM, Polen HH, Gibson F. Nurse prescribers’ interactions with and perceptions of pharmaceutical sales representatives. J Clin Nurs 2009; 18:228-33. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2702.2008.02536.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Abstract
BACKGROUND With the advent of Web 2.0 technologies, user-edited online resources such as Wikipedia are increasingly tapped for information. However, there is little research on the quality of health information found in Wikipedia. OBJECTIVE To compare the scope, completeness, and accuracy of drug information in Wikipedia with that of a free, online, traditionally edited database (Medscape Drug Reference [MDR]). METHODS Wikipedia and MDR were assessed on 8 categories of drug information. Questions were constructed and answers were verified with authoritative resources. Wikipedia and MDR were evaluated according to scope (breadth of coverage) and completeness. Accuracy was tracked by factual errors and errors of omission. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the components. Fisher's exact test was used to compare scope and paired Student's t-test was used to compare current results in Wikipedia with entries 90 days prior to the current access. RESULTS Wikipedia was able to answer significantly fewer drug information questions (40.0%) compared with MDR (82.5%; p < 0.001). Wikipedia performed poorly regarding information on dosing, with a score of 0% versus the MDR score of 90.0%. Answers found in Wikipedia were 76.0% complete, while MDR provided answers that were 95.5% complete; overall, Wikipedia answers were less complete than those in Medscape (p < 0.001). No factual errors were found in Wikipedia, whereas 4 answers in Medscape conflicted with the answer key; errors of omission were higher in Wikipedia (n = 48) than in MDR (n = 14). There was a marked improvement in Wikipedia over time, as current entries were superior to those 90 days prior (p = 0.024). CONCLUSIONS Wikipedia has a more narrow scope, is less complete, and has more errors of omission than the comparator database. Wikipedia may be a useful point of engagement for consumers, but is not authoritative and should only be a supplemental source of drug information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin A Clauson
- Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy-West Palm Beach, Nova Southeastern University, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410, USA.
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Clauson KA, Polen HH, Boulos MNK, Dzenowagis JH. Accuracy and completeness of drug information in Wikipedia. AMIA Annu Symp Proc 2008:912. [PMID: 18998977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2008] [Accepted: 06/17/2008] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Web 2.0 technologies, where users participate in content production, are increasingly used as informational and educational resources. Wikipedia is frequently cited by students in the healthcare professions. This study compared the accuracy and completeness of drug information in Wikipedia to Medscape Drug Reference, a traditionally-edited resource. Wikipedia answered fewer questions [40.0% vs. 82.5%] (p<0.001) and was less complete (p=0.00076) than Medscape. No gross errors were found in Wikipedia and its content has improved over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin A Clauson
- Nova Southeastern University, College of Pharmacy, West Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, USA
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12
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Polen HH, Zapantis A, Clauson KA, Jebrock J, Paris M. Performance of online drug information databases as clinical decision support tools in infectious disease medication management. AMIA Annu Symp Proc 2008:1099. [PMID: 18999059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2008] [Revised: 06/24/2008] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Infectious disease (ID) medication management is complex and clinical decision support tools (CDSTs) can provide valuable assistance. This study evaluated scope and completeness of ID drug information found in online databases by evaluating their ability to answer 147 question/answer pairs. Scope scores produced highest rankings (%) for: Micromedex (82.3), Lexi-Comp/American Hospital Formulary Service (81.0), and Medscape Drug Reference (81.0); lowest includes: Epocrates Online Premium (47.0), Johns Hopkins ABX Guide (45.6), and PEPID PDC (40.8).
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyla H Polen
- Integrated Consulting Associates, Jupiter, FL, USA
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Polen HH, Zapantis A, Clauson KA, Jebrock J, Paris M. Ability of online drug databases to assist in clinical decision-making with infectious disease therapies. BMC Infect Dis 2008; 8:153. [PMID: 18990224 PMCID: PMC2613899 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2334-8-153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2008] [Accepted: 11/06/2008] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Infectious disease (ID) is a dynamic field with new guidelines being adopted at a rapid rate. Clinical decision support tools (CDSTs) have proven beneficial in selecting treatment options to improve outcomes. However, there is a dearth of information on the abilities of CDSTs, such as drug information databases. This study evaluated online drug information databases when answering infectious disease-specific queries. Methods Eight subscription drug information databases: American Hospital Formulary Service Drug Information (AHFS), Clinical Pharmacology (CP), Epocrates Online Premium (EOP), Facts & Comparisons 4.0 Online (FC), Lexi-Comp (LC), Lexi-Comp with AHFS (LC-AHFS), Micromedex (MM), and PEPID PDC (PPDC) and six freely accessible: DailyMed (DM), DIOne (DIO), Epocrates Online Free (EOF), Internet Drug Index (IDI), Johns Hopkins ABX Guide (JHAG), and Medscape Drug Reference (MDR) were evaluated for their scope (presence of an answer) and completeness (on a 3-point scale) in answering 147 infectious disease-specific questions. Questions were divided among five classifications: antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antiparasitic, and vaccination/immunization. Classifications were further divided into categories (e.g., dosage, administration, emerging resistance, synergy, and spectrum of activity). Databases were ranked based on scope and completeness scores. ANOVA and Chi-square were used to determine differences between individual databases and between subscription and free databases. Results Scope scores revealed three discrete tiers of database performance: Tier 1 (82-77%), Tier 2 (73-65%) and Tier 3 (56-41%) which were significantly different from each other (p < 0.05). The top tier performers: MM (82%), MDR (81%), LC-AHFS (81%), AHFS (78%), and CP (77%) answered significantly more questions compared to other databases (p < 0.05). Top databases for completeness were: MM (97%), DM (96%), IDI (95%), and MDR (95%). Subscription databases performed better than free databases in all categories (p = 0.03). Databases suffered from 37 erroneous answers for an overall error rate of 1.8%. Conclusion Drug information databases used in ID practice as CDSTs can be valuable resources. MM, MDR, LC-AHFS, AHFS, and CP were shown to be superior in their scope and completeness of information, and MM, AHFS, and MDR provided no erroneous answers. There is room for improvement in all evaluated databases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyla H Polen
- Nova Southeastern University, College of Pharmacy, Palm Beach Gardens, USA.
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Clauson KA, Polen HH, Peak AS, Marsh WA, DiScala SL. Clinical Decision Support Tools: Personal Digital Assistant versus Online Dietary Supplement Databases. Ann Pharmacother 2008; 42:1592-9. [PMID: 18940918 DOI: 10.1345/aph.1l297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Clinical decision support tools (CDSTs) on personal digital assistants (PDAs) and online databases assist healthcare practitioners who make decisions about dietary supplements. Objective: To assess and compare the content of PDA dietary supplement databases and their online counterparts used as CDSTs. Methods: A total of 102 question-and-answer pairs were developed within 10 weighted categories of the most clinically relevant aspects of dietary supplement therapy. PDA versions of AltMedDex. Lexi-Natural, Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, and Natural Standard and their online counterparts were assessed by scope (percent of correct answers present), completeness (3-point scale), ease of use, and a composite score integrating all 3 criteria. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics, including a χ2 test, Scheffé's multiple comparison test, McNemar's test, and the Wilcoxon signed rank test were used to analyze data. Results: The scope scores for PDA databases were: Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database 84.3%, Natural Standard 58.8%, Lexi-Natural 50.0%, and AltMedDex 36.3%, with Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database statistically superior (p < 0.01). Completeness scores were; Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database 78.4%, Natural Standard 51.0%, Lexi-Natural 43.5%, and AltMedDex 29.7%. Lexi-Natural was superior in ease of use (p < 0.01). Composite scores for PDA databases were: Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database 79.3, Natural Standard 53.0, Lexi-Natural 48.0, and AltMedDex 32.5, with Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database superior (p < 0.01). There was no difference between the scope for PDA and online database pairs with Lexi-Natural (50.0% and 53.9%, respectively) or Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database (84.3% and 84.3%, respectively) (p > 0.05), whereas differences existed for AltMedDex (36.3% vs 74.5%, respectively) and Natural Standard (50.8% vs 80.4%, respectively) (p < 0.01). For composite scores, AltMedDex and Natural Standard online were better than their PDA counterparts (p < 0.01). Conclusions: Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database achieved significantly higher scope, completeness, and composite scores compared with other dietary supplement PDA CDSTs in this study. There was no difference between the PDA and online databases for Lexi-Natural and Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, whereas online versions of AltMedDex and Natural Standard were significantly better than their PDA counterparts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin A Clauson
- Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy-West Palm Beach, Nova Southeastern University, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
| | - Hyla H Polen
- College of Pharmacy-West Palm Beach, Nova Southeastern University
| | - Amy S Peak
- Director of Drug Information Service, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Butler University, Indianapolis, IN
| | - Wallace A Marsh
- Director of Division of Technology in Education, Bernard J Dunn School of Pharmacy, Shenandoah University, Winchester, VA
| | - Sandra L DiScala
- Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, West Palm Beach, FL
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Clauson KA, Polen HH, Marsh WA. Clinical Decision Support Tools: Performance of Personal Digital Assistant versus Online Drug Information Databases. Pharmacotherapy 2007; 27:1651-8. [DOI: 10.1592/phco.27.12.1651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Clauson KA, Marsh WA, Polen HH, Seamon MJ, Ortiz BI. Clinical decision support tools: analysis of online drug information databases. BMC Med Inform Decis Mak 2007; 7:7. [PMID: 17346336 PMCID: PMC1831469 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6947-7-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2006] [Accepted: 03/08/2007] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Online drug information databases are used to assist in enhancing clinical decision support. However, the choice of which online database to consult, purchase or subscribe to is likely made based on subjective elements such as history of use, familiarity, or availability during professional training. The purpose of this study was to evaluate clinical decision support tools for drug information by systematically comparing the most commonly used online drug information databases. Methods Five commercially available and two freely available online drug information databases were evaluated according to scope (presence or absence of answer), completeness (the comprehensiveness of the answers), and ease of use. Additionally, a composite score integrating all three criteria was utilized. Fifteen weighted categories comprised of 158 questions were used to conduct the analysis. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square were used to summarize the evaluation components and make comparisons between databases. Scheffe's multiple comparison procedure was used to determine statistically different scope and completeness scores. The composite score was subjected to sensitivity analysis to investigate the effect of the choice of percentages for scope and completeness. Results The rankings for the databases from highest to lowest, based on composite scores were Clinical Pharmacology, Micromedex, Lexi-Comp Online, Facts & Comparisons 4.0, Epocrates Online Premium, RxList.com, and Epocrates Online Free. Differences in scope produced three statistical groupings with Group 1 (best) performers being: Clinical Pharmacology, Micromedex, Facts & Comparisons 4.0, Lexi-Comp Online, Group 2: Epocrates Premium and RxList.com and Group 3: Epocrates Free (p < 0.05). Completeness scores were similarly stratified. Collapsing the databases into two groups by access (subscription or free), showed the subscription databases performed better than the free databases in the measured criteria (p < 0.001). Conclusion Online drug information databases, which belong to clinical decision support, vary in their ability to answer questions across a range of categories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin A Clauson
- Nova Southeastern University, College of Pharmacy – West Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410, 3970 RCA Boulevard, Suite 7006A, USA
| | - Wallace A Marsh
- Shenandoah University, Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy, Winchester, VA, USA
| | - Hyla H Polen
- Health Care District of Palm Beach County, Delray Beach, FL, USA
| | - Matthew J Seamon
- Nova Southeastern University, College of Pharmacy, Davie, FL, USA
| | - Blanca I Ortiz
- Nova Southeastern University, College of Pharmacy – Ponce, Ponce, Puerto Rico, USA
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