Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

2003

Document Type

Dissertation - NSU Access Only

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice

Advisor

Thomas Thompson

Committee Member

Marian Gibney

Committee Member

Stan Hannah

Committee Member

Barbara Packer

Keywords

Patient Education/Medication Education/Chronic Illness/Qualitative Research

Abstract

The medication-taking education needs of individual patients on long-term medications are not being adequately met by traditional medication-taking education provided by health care providers. The aim of this study is to develop a model for an approach to medication-taking education that can be used by health care providers for patients on long-term medications. The goal is to develop an approach that is based on patients’ perspectives of their medication-taking education needs and that is also grounded in relevant health and education theories.

The present research study is a qualitative study of the medication-taking education needs of 10 well-educated individuals who were on long-term medications. In-depth semi structured interviews and a grounded theory approach were used for data gathering and data analysis to develop a conceptual framework that describes and characterizes medication-taking education needs of individuals on long-term medication and relates these to patient medication-taking education needs. The conceptual framework consisted of a Model of Medication-Taking Practice (task analysis), description of Learner Characteristics, and Patients’ Medication-Taking Education Goals. The conceptual framework was reviewed through member checking and by the summative committee. Then, based on the acquired understanding of medication-taking education needs, various education theories, frameworks and models—from the domains of adult education, health education, medication education, and communication—were assessed, and a model for medication-taking education was designed to meet the identified needs. This model is called the Learner-Centered Co-mentorship Model of Medication-Taking Education. The model was reviewed through member checking, by the summative committee and also by a panel of physicians and pharmacists. Procedures were developed to implement and evaluate the new model through an action research pilot study involving practicing physicians and pharmacists and using standardized patients with similar characteristics as the participants in the current study (well-educated, middle-aged, and with high medication-taking self-efficacy). These procedures were reviewed by a panel of physicians and pharmacists.

After the Learner-Centered Co-mentorship Model of Medication-Taking Education is piloted and refined, it is recommended that the model be further tested in different patient populations (less educated, elderly, and/or with lower medication-taking self-efficacy). It will be necessary to determine if, and to what extent, the current model can be adapted to meet the medication-taking education needs of different patients on long-term medications, or if alternative models will need to be developed.

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