SmartRx: Web-based instruction on using prescription medications wisely

Each year around 19 percent of the general U.S. population will receive a prescription for an abusable medication (Simon-Wastila 2000). Of this population, a sizable percentage will report non-medical usage, and some will go on to develop serious medical and social problems. This project developed and tested a web-based educational program promoting safe use of prescription medications.

The program offers individualized training on the smart use of sedatives, tranquilizers, antidepressants, stimulants, and pain relief medications. It contains modules addressing medication facts, talking to your doctor and pharmacist, using medications wisely, recognizing the warning signs of medication misuse, what to do if you experience a problem, and alternative treatment approaches.

SmartRx is currently being field tested with approximately 300 women working at a large hospital system. The study incorporates a pretest/posttest randomized experimental design. Each participant completes an on-line survey measuring health attitudes and practices and is then randomly assigned to one of two experimental conditions: the web-based training condition or the treatment as usual condition. One month following the intervention participants in both groups will complete the posttest survey. The effectiveness of the intervention will be assessed through multi-factor ANOVAs.

This presentation will include a demonstration of SmartRx, results from the field test, and discussion of the relative utility of web-based health promotion efforts. At the conclusion of the session participants will be able to: evaluate and describe the necessary components of a prescription medication education program and identify components of the program that were effective in promoting positive change.