ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of a campus-community pharmacy partnership to foster awareness and use of National Library of Medicine (NLM) databases, including MedlinePlus, among minority populations. DESIGN: Uncontrolled study with pretest and posttest. SETTING: Two community pharmacies and Bethel World Ministry in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. PARTICIPANTS: 8 student pharmacists and pharmacy residents and 92 patients. INTERVENTION: Training of patients by student pharmacists and pharmacy residents in the use of NLM databases during prescription-fill wait time. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Pre- and post-survey responses and telephone followup designed to assess familiarity with NLM databases, including MedlinePlus. RESULTS: Overall, the familiarity of the participants with MedlinePlus and NLM databases increased fivefold before versus after training. The 1-week follow-up confirmed this trend. However, no statistically significant differences in responses (pre-and posttest/follow-up) to the surveys were observed in regard to specific questions on daily and future use of the NLM databases available on the Internet. CONCLUSION: Awareness and use of MedlinePlus by study participants increased.