244171 Multi-Disciplinary Investigational Intervention on Reducing Polypharmacy and Enhancing Adherence to Drug Regimens among Elderly African Americans

Tuesday, November 1, 2011: 4:50 PM

Gail Orum-Alexander, PharmD , College of Science and Health, Chrales R. Drew Uinversity of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA
Mohsen Bazargan, PhD , College of Medicine, Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA
Hamed Yazdanshenas, MD , College of Medicine, Charles R. Drew University of medicine and Science, Los Angels, CA
     
Excessive and unnecessary use of prescription and over-the-counter medications (polypharmacy) is a major problem ad a challenge that contributes to increased costs, adverse drug events, poor medication adherence, inappropriate prescribing, hospitalization, and mortality among older adults. This educational outreach intervention study examined the effects of an educational intervention on reducing excessive and unnecessary use of prescription and over-the-counter medication and enhancing adherence to drug regimens among low-income older African Americans with multiple chronic health conditions. A one group pretest-posttest design was utilized to measure the outcomes before and after the intervention. Each study participant was provided with information regarding the prevalence, consequences, and common facilitators of polypharmacy (taking expired medications, borrowing medications, prescriptions from multiple healthcare providers). The intervention emphasizes knowledge and strategies aimed at improving adherence to recommended medications. Following the assessment of medication use, providers of participants were notified within two weeks about medication duplications, out-dated or inappropriate indication, drug-drug interactions and adherence of their patients to the drug regimen. Preliminary findings indicated several participants with serious problems related to their use of medications that required notification letters to be sent to their primary physician along with a follow-up intervention. Lessons learned and policy implications will be discussed.

Learning Areas:
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs

Learning Objectives:
Upon completion of this session the participant will be able to: 1. Describe the impact of a community-based educational program to increase compliance of African American older adults with their medication regimen. 2. Discuss effective strategies to reduce excessive and unnecessary use of prescription and over-the counter medications among older African Americans.

Keywords: Health Disparities, Community-Based Health Promotion

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: ean, College of Science and Health Gail Orum-Alexander, Pharm.D. is the Dean of the College of Science and Health at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science. Dr. Orum-Alexander joined the faculty of the Charles R. Drew University in 1992 as an Assistant Professor in the Physician Assistant Program. She also serves as director of the Pharmacy Technology Program and a faculty member in the Physician Assistant Program. Prior to her appointment as Dean, Dr. Orum-Alexander served as Interim Assistant Dean. She also served as the Vice-Chair of the General Studies Department. In that capacity, she developed and implemented the Bachelor of Science in Pre-Healing Arts and Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Pre-Medicine Programs to prepare students for careers in medicine and the health professions. Her current focus as Dean is to develop the School of Nursing Programs and to strengthen existing programs in the college. Dr. Orum-Alexander has a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Southern California, School of Pharmacy located in Los Angeles, California. She is a registered pharmacist in the State of California. Dr. Orum-Alexander currently serves on the Campus-wide Software Implementation and WASC Oversight Committees. She has served on several university committees including the Drew Institutional Review Board (IRB) and the Curriculum and Learning Resources Committee of the Academic Senate. She also served as Chair of the Education and Academic Policy Committee in the College of Science and Health. She has published and reviewed articles on the pharmacologic management of obesity and obesity in children and adolescents. Dr. Orum-Alexander is actively involved in organizations both locally and nationally, as well as community programs that focus on the prevention and management of diabetes in minorities. She is a member of the California Society of Health-System Pharmacists where she is active in the Committee on Goals. She is a member of the Pharmacy Technician Educators Council and has served in the past few years as an item writer for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination. Professor Orum-Alexander served as Secretary for the Central Los Angeles Pharmacist Association (a local chapter of California Pharmacists’ Association), from 1990-1998. Her honors include, “Most Outstanding Faculty Award”, Charles R. Drew University, College of Science and Health (1997 & 1998), Recognition Awards from Physician Assistant Students (2002 & 2003), Best Teacher Award from Pharmacy Technology students (2002), and the “Outstanding Faculty Service Award”, Charles R. Drew University, (2004). She is listed in “Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers”, 9th edition, 2005.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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