Donna H. Berardo

Effects of an Education Program for Community Pharmacists on Detecting Drug-related Problems in Elderly Patients

Community pharmacists are in a position to assume increased responsibility for preventing and resolving drug-related problems in ambulatory patients. Such an expanded role is mandated under provisions of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990. The need for pharmacist oversight of drug therapy may be most acute in elderly patients. This study reports on a program to teach community pharmacists a process of assessing drug therapy of elderly patients and intervening to correct problems. Community pharmacists (N = 102) were assigned to treatment and control conditions. Both groups targeted patients meeting criteria and enrolled them into the study. Treatment group pharmacists, who participated in a training program, also assessed the medication use of enrolled patients to identify and resolve medication-related problems. Patients (N = 762) were telephoned by researchers 1 month after enrollment for an interview. Comparisons between treatment and control group patients were made on reports of pharmacist activities, knowledge of regimens, compliance, and potential drug therapy problems, such as interactions and side effects. Treatment patients were more likely to report that pharmacists provided information and assessed for problems than were control patients. These differences were maintained on 3-month follow-up questionnaires. No differences were found on the odds that patients indicated misunderstanding of regimens, noncompliance, or potential therapeutic problems.

Age dissimilar marriages: Review and assessment

Abstract The empirical literature on age dissimilar marriages (ADMs) over the past six decades was analyzed in terms data sources, theoretical perspectives, findings, and controversial issues. There has been a significant increase in research on ADMs. Greater use of large data sets, especially census data is evident. Few studies utilize original samples of age-discrepant couples. Most studies are atheoretical and descriptive, and lack explicit hypotheses, although recent research has begun to overcome these deficits. The most consistent findings include: ADMs increase with age and with remarriages; older man-younger woman marriages continue as the most prevalent form of ADMs; nonwhites show higher probabilities of age heterogamous marriages; ADMs are most prevalent among lower socioeconomic groups; age disparities differentially affect the sexes with respect to mortality; ADMs appear to be more alike than dissimilar from coeval marriages. Findings regarding ADMs and marital stability remain contradictory. Definitions of ADMs are arbitrary, show wide variation, and pose an impediment to definitive conclusions.

On gold diggers: Status gain or loss in age heterogamous marriages

Deviations from the age norms governing mate selection often provoke negative stereotypes regarding the participants. This article focuses on age heterogamous unions or so-called May-December marriages, involving an older person with a young spouse. The public often attributes pecuniary (gold digger) motives to the latter. Our research tests the widespread notion that the younger woman exchanges youth for status or money. Using data from the Panel on Income Dynamics, age homogamous and age heterogamous couples are compared in terms of each of the spouses achieved and inherited status and the contribution these make to explained variance in family income. Analysis using hierarchical multiple regression revealed that, contrary to popular belief, the status of the older spouse does not make a more important contribution toward explained income. Indeed, in this study, the reverse was the case in that the wifes status contributed more toward explained income. The notion that age heterogamy in marriage represents a channel of upward mobility for young women married to older men needs systematic reexamination.

Individual lifestyles and survivorship: The role of habits, attitudes, and nutrition

Abstract Individual lifestyles bear directly on the length and quality of life. The habits and attitudes which reflect personal lifestyle are examined in terms of their life-threatening potential. Several important attitudes and behaviors are discussed in relation to survival, including: cultural expectations and “machismo,” a holistic perspective, physical exercise, motivation, paying attention, and cynicism. Nutrition behavior is used to illustrate how cultural and personal attitudes affect life chances. A distinction between realistic risk-taking activities and reckless danger is called for to prevent accidental death. A program of self-watching is encouraged in order to modify deleterious habits.