Evaluation of a health-promoting school program to enhance correct medication use in Taiwan

Hsueh-Yun Chi a,1, Fong-Ching Chang b,*,1, Hsueh-Ju Lin c,1,
Li-Jung Huang d,1, Jung-Chen Chang e,1, Ming-Kung Yeh f,1,
Jaw-Jou Kang g,1
a Department of Health Developing and Marketing, Kainan University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC
b Department of Health Promotion and Health Education, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
c Food and Drug Administration, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
d Taiwan Joint Commission on Hospital Accreditation, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
e Department of Nursing, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
f Institute of Preventive Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
g Institute of Toxicology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC

This study was an evaluation of the Health Promoting School (HPS) programin Taiwan and its effectiveness in enhancing students’ knowledge and abilities with regard to correct medication usage. In 2011, baseline and follow-up self-administered online surveys were received from 3520 middle-school and primary students from intervention schools, and 3738 students from comparison primary and secondary schools completed the same survey. The results indicated that after implementing the correct medication use HPS program, students’ knowledge and abilities concerning correct medication usage (i.e., the need to express clearly personal conditions to physicians, to check information on the medication packages, to take medication correctly and adhere to prescribed medication regimens, not to buy or acquire medication from unlicensed sources, and to onsult pharmacists/physicians) were significantly increased among the students in the intervention schools (p < 0.001). In addition, students’ knowledge and abilities concerning correct medication usage were significantly higher in the intervention schools compared with the comparison schools (p < 0.001). In conclusion, the correct medication use HPS program significantly enhanced students’ knowledge and abilities concerning correct medication usage.

Keywords: Health Promoting School, Medication