Social media use and educational preferences among first-year pharmacy students.

BACKGROUND: Social media may offer a means to engage students, facilitate collaborative learning, and tailor educational delivery for diverse learning styles. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to characterize social media awareness among pharmacy students and determine perceptions toward integrating these tools in education. METHODS: A 23-item survey was administered to 1st-year students at a multicampus college of pharmacy. RESULTS: Students (95% response rate; N = 196) most commonly used wikis (97%), social networking (91%), and videosharing (84%). Tools reported as never used or unknown included social bookmarking (89%), collaborative writing (84%), and RSS readers (73%). Respondents indicated that educational integration of social media would impact their ability to learn in a positive/very positive manner (75%) and make them feel connected/very connected (68%). CONCLUSIONS: Selectively targeting social media for educational integration and instructing pharmacy students how to employ a subset of these tools may be useful in engaging them and encouraging lifelong learning.

Role of the pharmacist in pre-exposure chemoprophylaxis (PrEP) therapyfor HIV prevention / Papel del farmacéutico en la quimioprofilaxis pre-exposición para prevención del VIH

With a global estimate of 2.5 million new infections of HIV occurring yearly, discovering novel methods to help stem the spread of the virus is critical. The use of antiretroviral chemoprophylaxis for preventing HIV after accidental or occupational exposure and in maternal to fetal transmission has become a widely accepted method to combat HIV. Based on this success, pre-exposure chemoprophylaxis (PrEP) is being explored in at-risk patient populations such as injecting drug users, female sex workers and men who have sex with men. This off-label and unmonitored use has created a need for education and intervention by pharmacists and other healthcare professionals. Pharmacists should educate themselves on PrEP and be prepared to counsel patients about their means of obtaining it (e.g. borrowing or sharing medications and ordering from disreputable Internet pharmacies). They should also be proactive about medication therapy management in these patients due to clinically important drug interactions with PrEP medications. Only one trial exploring the safety and efficacy of tenofovir as PrEP has been completed thus far. However, five ongoing trials are in various stages and two additional studies are scheduled for the near future. Unfortunately, studies in this arena have met with many challenges that have threatened to derail progress. Ethical controversy surrounding post-trial care of participants who seroconvert during studies, as well as concerns over emerging viral resistance and logistical site problems, have already halted several PrEP trials. Information about these early trials has already filtered down to affected individuals who are experimenting with this unproven therapy as an 'evening before pill'. The potential for PrEP is promising; however, more extensive trials are necessary to establish its safety and efficacy. Pharmacists are well-positioned to play a key role in helping patients make choices about PrEP, managing their therapy, and developing policy with an eye towards the future (AU)

Con una estimación global de 2,5 millones de nuevas infecciones de VIH cada año, es crítico descubrir nuevos métodos para ayudar a detener la extensión del virus. El uso de quimioprofilaxis antirretroviral para prevención del VIH después de una exposición accidental u ocupacional y en transmisión materno-fetal se ha convertido en un método comúnmente aceptado para combatir el VIH. Basando en este éxito, se está explorando la quimioprofilaxis pre-exposición (PrEP) en poblaciones de riesgo tales como drogadictos intravenosos, trabajadoras sexuales, y hombres que tiene sexo con hombres. Este uso no autorizado y no vigilado ha creado la necesidad de educación e intervención de farmacéuticos y otros profesionales de la salud. Los farmacéuticos deberían formarse sobre la PrEP y estar preparados para aconsejar a los pacientes sobre los medios de obtenerla (p.e. prestándose o compartiendo medicaciones y comprándola en farmacias de confianza en Internet). También deberían ser proactivos en el seguimiento de estos pacientes debido a las importantes interacciones de los medicamentos PrEP. Solo se ha completado un ensayo que exploró la seguridad y la eficacia del tenofovir como PrEP. Sin embargo, están programados 5 ensayos en marcha en diversos estadios, y dos estudios adicionales en un futuro próximo. Desafortunadamente, los estudios en este campo se han encontrado con muchos obstáculos que han amenazado interrumpir su progreso. La controversia ética sobre la atención post-ensayo de los pacientes que se seroconvierten durante el estudio, así como las preocupaciones sobre la emergente resistencia viral y los problemas logísticos, ya han interrumpido varios ensayos de PrEP. La información de estos primeros ensayos se ha filtrado e los individuos afectados que están experimentando con este tratamiento no probado como una 'píldora de la tarde anterior'. El potencial de la PrEP es prometedor, sin embargo se necesitan ensayos más extensos para establecer su seguridad y eficacia. Los farmacéuticos están bien posicionaos para jugar un papel importante ayudando a los pacientes a tomar mejores decisiones sobre la PrEP, gestionando su tratamiento, y desarrollando políticas con un ojo en el futuro (AU)

Role of the pharmacist in pre-exposure chemoprophylaxis (PrEP) therapy for HIV prevention.

With a global estimate of 2.5 million new infections of HIV occurring yearly, discovering novel methods to help stem the spread of the virus is critical. The use of antiretroviral chemoprophylaxis for preventing HIV after accidental or occupational exposure and in maternal to fetal transmission has become a widely accepted method to combat HIV. Based on this success, pre-exposure chemoprophylaxis (PrEP) is being explored in at-risk patient populations such as injecting drug users, female sex workers and men who have sex with men. This off-label and unmonitored use has created a need for education and intervention by pharmacists and other healthcare professionals. Pharmacists should educate themselves on PrEP and be prepared to counsel patients about their means of obtaining it (e.g. borrowing or sharing medications and ordering from disreputable Internet pharmacies). They should also be proactive about medication therapy management in these patients due to clinically important drug interactions with PrEP medications. Only one trial exploring the safety and efficacy of tenofovir as PrEP has been completed thus far. However, five ongoing trials are in various stages and two additional studies are scheduled for the near future. Unfortunately, studies in this arena have met with many challenges that have threatened to derail progress. Ethical controversy surrounding post-trial care of participants who seroconvert during studies, as well as concerns over emerging viral resistance and logistical site problems, have already halted several PrEP trials. Information about these early trials has already filtered down to affected individuals who are experimenting with this unproven therapy as an "evening before pill". The potential for PrEP is promising; however, more extensive trials are necessary to establish its safety and efficacy. Pharmacists are well-positioned to play a key role in helping patients make choices about PrEP, managing their therapy, and developing policy with an eye towards the future.