Medication and Medication Wastage: Short-Term and Long-Term Effects of an Educational Intervention Among School Children

Abstract

Background . Education should support the gradual development of students’ necessary abilities to empower them in participating in decision-making together with health care professionals. Aim . The aim of this study was (1) to evaluate baseline knowledge regarding medication and medication wastage among primary school children and (2) to determine the short- and long-term effects of an educational intervention. Methods . Ten primary state schools around Malta were invited to participate; 5 accepted participation (3 control and 2 intervention). Children aged 9 to 12 years attending the sixth grade completed a self-reported questionnaire containing 20 questions, with total scores ranging from 0 to 20. Students from the intervention classes filled in a questionnaire pre and post an educational seminar. All students answered the questionnaire again after 8 months. ANOVA (analysis of variance) with repeated measures was used to compare difference between preintervention and postintervention mean scores. Results . Overall, 40.8% (160/392) of children participated. Mean ± SD age was 10 ± 0.4years; 52.5% (n = 84) were boys. Average preintervention knowledge score for all 5 schools was 11.5 ± 3.6, with 43.1% (n = 69) obtaining responses ≥13 (median). A repeated-measures ANOVA with a Greenhouse-Geisser correction determined that mean knowledge scores differed significantly between preintervention and postintervention ( F [1, 81.000] = 75.190, P < .0005). Intervention students retained a significant increase in knowledge scores at 8 months ( P = .026). Discussion and Conclusion . The significantly improved knowledge score following the educational intervention both in the short- and long-term demonstrated the success of the intervention. These findings provide a basis for the introduction of education about medication and medication wastage in schools.