Assessing the impact of the 'Know Your Medicine' programme on medication literacy among children aged 10–12 years in Selangor, Malaysia: A pre- and post-survey intervention study

Authors

  • Nur Wahida Zulkifli Center for Drug Policy and Health Economic Research (CDPHER), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Selangor Branch, Puncak Alam Campus, Selangor, Malaysia & Department of Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Selangor Branch, Puncak Alam Campus, Selangor, Malaysia
  • Nor Elyzatul Akma Hamdan Department of Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Selangor Branch, Puncak Alam Campus, Selangor, Malaysia
  • Nur Sabiha Md Hussin Department of Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Selangor Branch, Puncak Alam Campus, Selangor, Malaysia
  • Norkasihan Ibrahim Center for Drug Policy and Health Economic Research (CDPHER), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Selangor Branch, Puncak Alam Campus, Selangor, Malaysia & Department of Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Selangor Branch, Puncak Alam Campus, Selangor, Malaysia
  • Mahmathi Karuppannan Department of Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Selangor Branch, Puncak Alam Campus, Selangor, Malaysia
  • Kamaliah Md Saman Department of Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Selangor Branch, Puncak Alam Campus, Selangor, Malaysia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46542/pe.2024.241.757764

Keywords:

Educational programme, Intervention effectiveness, Malaysia, Medication literacy, Primary schoolchild

Abstract

Background: Despite efforts to educate the public about medication starting from an early age, there remains a scarcity of medication-related programs and accessible resources specifically designed for children. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the 'Know Your Medicine' programme in enhancing medication literacy among primary schoolchildren in Malaysia.

Methods: This interventional study compared pre- and post-knowledge scores in a non-randomised, one-group pre-test-post-test experimental design. Primary schoolchildren aged 10–12 years old participating in the 'Know Your Medicine' programme engaged in informative sessions and interactive activities. Eleven validated questionnaires were administered before and after the intervention to measure changes in medication knowledge levels.

Results: A total of 81 primary schoolchildren completed the study. The mean baseline knowledge score was 6.88 and 7.85 pre-test and post-test, respectively. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test confirmed a statistically significant improvement in medication knowledge following the intervention (Z = −4.345, p < 0.001).

Conclusion: The findings reveal the effectiveness of the 'Know Your Medicine' programme in enhancing medication literacy among primary schoolchildren in Malaysia, highlighting the importance of implementing targeted educational interventions to improve medication knowledge among primary schoolchildren.

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Published

09-12-2024

How to Cite

Zulkifli, N. W., Hamdan , N. E. A., Md Hussin, N. S., Ibrahim , N., Karuppannan , M., & Saman, K. M. (2024). Assessing the impact of the ’Know Your Medicine’ programme on medication literacy among children aged 10–12 years in Selangor, Malaysia: A pre- and post-survey intervention study. Pharmacy Education, 24(1), p. 757–764. https://doi.org/10.46542/pe.2024.241.757764

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Research Article