Evaluating the effectiveness of driving medication safety training to improve pharmacists’ knowledge, attitude, and behavior

Objectives: This study investigated the use of the driving medication safety training curriculum and evaluated the effectiveness of this curriculum in promoting the knowledge, attitude, and behavior of pharmacists on classification of medication use and driving safety. Methods: This study was designed as a quasi-experimental study that integrated the health belief model into the driving medication safety training curriculum, and adopts with pre- and posttesting control group design as well as tracking of delayed effects. The researchers utilized a current state analysis questionnaire for the promotion of classification of medication use and driving safety as the evaluation tool. After a preliminary evaluation of the validity, reliability, difficulty, and discrimination were established. Sixty pharmacists in Taipei City and New Taipei City were selected as the formal research participants through convenience sampling. The study was conducted by following a waiting list control group design. Results: The study analysis was performed with generalized estimating equations. When the equation controlled for “group” and “time,” the pharmacy education curriculum for the classification of medication use and driving safety had a positive effect on pharmacists’ knowledge, attitude, and behavior. Conclusions: Pharmacists must assist the public in dealing with complex medication problems, and the onus of the safe use of medications is upon pharmacists. Pre-training pharmacists with the knowledge, attitude, and behaviors required for driving safety and medication use can enable them to effectively determine the risk of medication use and driving as well as communicate with the public or doctors to make the most appropriate drug recommendations. It is expected to reduce the risk of medication use while driving and the occurrence of traffic accidents in the general public.