Cecilia M. Plaza

Best Practices for Survey Research Reports: A Synopsis for Authors and Reviewers

We have provided 10 guiding questions and recommendations regarding what we consider to be best practices for survey research reports. Although our recommendations are not minimal standards for manuscripts submitted to the Journal, we hope that they provide guidance that will result in an enhancement of the quality of published reports of questionnaire-based survey research. It is important for both researchers/authors and reviewers to seriously consider the rigor that needs to be applied in the design, conduct, and reporting of survey research so that the reported findings credibly reflect the target population and are a true contribution to the scientific literature.

Best Practices for Survey Research Reports Revisited: Implications of Target Population, Probability Sampling, and Response Rate

Several papers have been published recently in the Journal addressing “best practices” for survey research manuscripts. This paper explores in more detail the effects of the target population size on sample size determination, probability sampling versus census approaches, and response rates and the relationship to potential nonresponse bias. Survey research is a complex methodology requiring expertise in the planning, execution, and analytic stages.

Report of the 2011-2012 Academic Affairs Standing Committee: the evolving role of scholarly teaching in teaching excellence for current and future faculty.

hAmerican Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Background and Charges According to the Bylaws of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP), the Academic Affairs Committee shall consider “…the intellectual, social, and personal aspects of pharmaceutical education. It is expected to identify practices, procedures, and guidelines that will aid faculties in developing students to their maximum potential. It will also be concerned with curriculum analysis, development, and evaluation beginning with the preprofessional level and extending through professional and graduate education. The Committee shall seek to identify issues and problems affecting the administrative and financial aspects of member institutions. The Academic Affairs Committee shall extend its attention beyond intra-institutional matters of colleges of pharmacy to include interdisciplinary concerns with the communities of higher education and especially with those elements concerned with health education.” Consistent with identifying practices, procedures and guidelines that will aid faculties in developing students to their maximum potential, President Brian L. Crabtree charged the Committee to: 1) examine and define scholarly teaching and contrast scholarly teaching with the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL), and 2) Evaluate and recommend methods for evidence-based assessment of scholarly teaching that schools and colleges can use when assessing faculty’s efforts in this element of the academic mission, and 3) recommend specific strategies to equip graduate students, post-docs, and post graduate residents for careers as scholarly teachers. This Committee Report provides an overview of the process undertaken by the 2011-2012 Academic Affairs Standing Committee and describes the results of the Committee’s examination of the evolving role of scholarly teaching in the culture and assessment of teaching excellence for current and future faculty.

Emerging Role of Epidemiologic Literacy

Background: The ability to understand and apply epidemiology methods is a growing part of pharmacy practice, pharmacy accreditation standards, and evidence-based practice. Objective: TO examine the trends in epidemiology-related terminology used in the literature over the past 20 years. Methods: The frequency of the use of epidemiology-related terminology in 3 representative pharmacy Journals, 2 representative medical journals, and 1 public health journal from January through December 1984, 1994, and 2004 was recorded. The 3 pharmacy journals were the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy (formerly American Journal of Hospital Pharmacy), The Annals of Pharmacotherapy (formerly Drug Intelligence and Clinical Pharmacy), and Pharmacotherapy. The 2 medical journals were the New England Journal of Medicine and The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), and the public health journal was the American Journal of Public Health. The number of times an epidemiology-related term was used was summed for each year and each journal. Results: For all the journals examined in this study combined, the proportion of epidemiologic terms used in the literature has increased over the past 20 years. In 1984, of the total articles published in the 6 journals, 7.02% contained epidemiologic terms increasing to 12.27% and 15.46% in 1994 and 2004, respectively. The most dramatic differences in the 20-year comparisons were noted for Pharmacotherapy (0 to 17.75%) and JAMA (7.32 to 26.72%). Conclusions: The increase in the use of epidemiology-related terms has implications for both curricular planning in schools and colleges of pharmacy, as well as for continuing education programs and effective interprofessional communication.

The status of women in US academic pharmacy.

Objective. To describe the status of women in pharmacy education with particular focus on a 10-year update of a previous study. Methods. Information was obtained from national databases, published reports, scholarly articles, and association websites. Comparisons were made between men and women regarding degree completion, rank, tenure status, leadership positions, research awards, salaries, and career advancement. Results. There have been modest gains in the number of women serving as department chairs and deans. Salary disparities were found between men and women at several ranks within pharmacy practice. Men were more apt to be tenured or in tenure-track positions and received 89.4% of the national achievement awards tracked since 1981. Conclusion. The problem cannot be simply attributed to the pipeline of those entering academia. Barriers to advancement differ between men and women. We recommend that individuals, institutions, and associations implement strategies to decrease barriers and reduce bias against women.

Understanding and Managing Sleep Difficulties in the Elderly

Insomnia is a common complaint in the geriatric population with studies indicating that 23-34% of elderly report symptoms of insomnia. Age-related changes in sleep physiology, diseases common in the elderly, and drug therapies common in the treatment of these diseases may result in difficulties with sleep. Managing these complaints requires a thorough evaluation to determine the etiology of insomnia since it is a symptom and not a disease. Additionally, when treating insomnia, non-pharmacologic issues need consideration before initiating drug therapy. A variety of pharmacologic agents are available to treat insomnia short term. Recently, two new novel agents have been added to the armamentarium of drugs that have some advantages over older, traditional agents.