Educational Programs for Pharmacy Personnel to Support Low-Income Older Adults in Accessing Affordable Healthcare in the United States
1
Health Outcomes Research and Policy, Harrison College of Pharmacy, Auburn University, Auburn University, United States
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
About 1 in 3 older adults in the U.S. are economically insecure, limiting access to affordable medical care and prescriptions¹. Although community-based aging agencies offer governmental assistance programs to reduce healthcare costs, many eligible older adults remain unaware of these resources². Community pharmacies, due to their accessibility, are well-positioned to support referrals. To address this gap, continuing education (C.E.) programs were developed to increase pharmacy personnel’s awareness of insurance options and assistance programs for low-income older adults, and to guide referrals to appropriate agencies. This study evaluates participants’ perceptions of the educational programs’ impact on patient care, impact on practice, and presenter effectiveness.
METHODS:
Since August 2024, two 1-hour paper-based and one 3-hour asynchronous video-based C.E. programs have been offered at no cost to participants. The video program included content from both paper programs. After passing a post-test, participants evaluated the program’s impact on patient care (rated from “Not at all” to “Extremely”), impact on practice, and presenter effectiveness (both rated from “Strongly Disagree” to “Strongly Agree”).
RESULTS:
A total of 127 individuals completed the video-based program. For the paper-based programs, 133 completed the program on insurance options for older adults and 88 completed the program on assistance programs. Most respondents reported a positive impact on patient care. The program about governmental assistance programs received the highest ratings, with over 75% selecting “Extremely.” Across all programs, “Agree” and “Strongly Agree” responses exceeded 70% for both practice impact and presenter effectiveness. The video-based program received the highest overall ratings, with nearly 90% indicating a positive impact on practice.
CONCLUSIONS:
Pharmacy-targeted C.E. programs were positively received, with strong perceived benefits for both patient care and practice. The video-based program rated highest for practice impact, while the program about governmental assistance programs showed the strongest impact on patient care.
About 1 in 3 older adults in the U.S. are economically insecure, limiting access to affordable medical care and prescriptions¹. Although community-based aging agencies offer governmental assistance programs to reduce healthcare costs, many eligible older adults remain unaware of these resources². Community pharmacies, due to their accessibility, are well-positioned to support referrals. To address this gap, continuing education (C.E.) programs were developed to increase pharmacy personnel’s awareness of insurance options and assistance programs for low-income older adults, and to guide referrals to appropriate agencies. This study evaluates participants’ perceptions of the educational programs’ impact on patient care, impact on practice, and presenter effectiveness.
METHODS:
Since August 2024, two 1-hour paper-based and one 3-hour asynchronous video-based C.E. programs have been offered at no cost to participants. The video program included content from both paper programs. After passing a post-test, participants evaluated the program’s impact on patient care (rated from “Not at all” to “Extremely”), impact on practice, and presenter effectiveness (both rated from “Strongly Disagree” to “Strongly Agree”).
RESULTS:
A total of 127 individuals completed the video-based program. For the paper-based programs, 133 completed the program on insurance options for older adults and 88 completed the program on assistance programs. Most respondents reported a positive impact on patient care. The program about governmental assistance programs received the highest ratings, with over 75% selecting “Extremely.” Across all programs, “Agree” and “Strongly Agree” responses exceeded 70% for both practice impact and presenter effectiveness. The video-based program received the highest overall ratings, with nearly 90% indicating a positive impact on practice.
CONCLUSIONS:
Pharmacy-targeted C.E. programs were positively received, with strong perceived benefits for both patient care and practice. The video-based program rated highest for practice impact, while the program about governmental assistance programs showed the strongest impact on patient care.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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