CEMA-COMMUNITY TO IMPROVE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS IN EVALUATING MEDICINE ADVERTISEMENTS

Abstract

Backgrounds: Since objective information on medicine
advertisements are often scarce, medicine advertisements
may affect community’s perception and health. The Critical
Evaluation Medicine Advertisement by the community (CEMAcommunity)
was a strategy that may empower community in
evaluating medicine advertisements. It was developed based
on the previous study targeted to medical students with
modifications on the content and the inclusion of local regulation
on medicine promotion.
Objectives: To evaluate effectiveness of the CEMAcommunity
method in improving knowledge and skills of
participants.
Methods: The study utilized pre and post in time series with
control group design. The CEMA-community intervention method
consisted of two sessions; the first was a brief lecture and
the second was small group discussions using printed and
audiovisual medicine advertisements in problem-oriented
approach. Activity materials and methods were developed and
provided to the activity. Data on knowledge was obtained by
questionnaires. Data on skills was assessed by the number of
inappropriate claims they could identify the advertisements.
Effectiveness of approach was shown by the significance of
increasing level of knowledge and skills after intervention.
Results: Participants’ knowledge and skills in the CEMAcommunity
group improved significantly (Wilcoxon test, p< 0.05).
Score of knowledge in the CEMA-community group before-,
right-, and 2, 4 weeks-after intervention (means: 13.9±2.52;
18.0±2.72; 19.0±3.10; 18.3±3.74, respectively) improved
significantly (Mann-Whitney, p<0.05) as compared to control
group (means: 14.1± 2.84; 14.8±2.94; 14.8±2.85; 15.6±2.45,
respectively). At the same time points, scores of skills in the
CEMA-community group (means: 7.8±6.05; 16.5±10.01;
32.6±12.89; 32.2±13.06, respectively) also improved
significantly (Mann-Whitney, p<0.05) as compared to control
group (5.5±6.60; 4.7±4.91; 8.7±10.07; 9.5±10.15, respectively).
Conclusion: CEMA-community was effective in increasing
knowledge and skills to critically evaluate medicine
advertisements.
Keywords: community empowerment, medicine
advertisements, knowledge, skills, CEMA-community, problemoriented
approach