Inappropriate drug use was common in our study cohort. Inappropriate use of medication in the elderly, particularly propoxyphene, is associated with a higher risk of adverse health outcomes.

The growth in direct-to-consumer advertising(DTCA)over the past two decades has facilitated the communication of prescription drug information directly to consumers. Data from a 1999 national survey are employed to determine the factors influencing consumers' opinions of the utility of DTC ads for health care decision making. We also analyze whether consumers use DTC ad information in health care decision making and who are the key drivers of such information utilization. The study results suggest that consumers have positive opinions of DTCA utility, varying across demographics and perceptions of certain advertisement features. Specifically, consumers value information about both risks and benefits, but the perception of risk information is more important in shaping opinions of ad utility than the perception of benefit information. Consumers still perceive, however that the quality of benefit information in DTC ads is better than that of risk information. Opinions about ad utility significantly influence whether information from DTC ads is used in health care decision making.

While there is widespread agreement that communication programs and materials will be more effective when they are 'culturally appropriate' for the populations they serve, little is known about how best to achieve this cultural appropriateness. The specific strategies used to realize the potential of culturally appropriate communication take many forms. This paper discusses an approach to assessing and understanding the presentation of statistical information (an evidential strategy) to enhance the perceived relevance of communications targeted to older African American men and women. Formative research on African Americans' attitudes and knowledge of colorectal cancer explored preferences for presentation of statistical data. Focus group interviews elicited participants' (n = 49) thoughts and attitudes on and anticipated behavioral response to five strategies for presenting cancer data and evidence-general, race specific, disparity, social math and framing approximately 5-year probability of death or survival. A description is provided of the application of this approach to the development of a colorectal cancer campaign for African Americans. This strategy may prove useful in understanding and structuring the presentation of targeted cancer evidence that could result in more effective health communication.

The anticonvulsant off-label use in the Georgia Medicaid population is very high (71%). Only a modest proportion of these off-label uses are supported by evidence from controlled trials.

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