Franccesca Elaine
Impact of Clinical Pharmacist Intervention on Medication Adherence and Disease related Knowledge among Patients with Low Health Literacy in Puerto Rico
introduction patients living central rural towns puerto rico comprise one critical atrisk populations limited health literacy due higher incidence poverty lower educational levels within sector objective study assess effect clinical pharmacist intervention medication adherence disease knowledge among patients low health literacy municipalities adjuntas lares puerto rico methods study used prospective analysis patients referred pharmacist educational intervention two rural outpatient clinics puerto rico thirteen patients inadequate glycemic control a1c 9 uncontrolled hypertension 15090 medication nonadherence pdc 080 referred study primary care physician initial health literacy measured spanish short test functional health literacy adults stofhla primary outcome study average change medication adherence assessed calculating proportion days covered pdc baseline end study period secondary outcome study average change patients diseaserelated knowledge using diabetes hypertension hyperlipidemia dhl knowledge instrument measured baseline end study period average change hemoglobin a1c blood pressure also calculated baseline postintervention evaluation results study showed significant improvement diseaserelated knowledge modest improvements disease clinical markers medication adherence adherence improved average pdc 059 pdc 064 disease related knowledge improved average 58 83 questionnaire scores conclusion due small patient recruitment lack statistically significant data study research larger patient population required accurately identify potential benefits interventions