Using the online search methodology we identified more ENDS vape stores than were on the state tobacco licensure list. This approach may be a promising strategy to identify and track the growth of ENDS vape stores over time, especially in states without a systematic licensing requirement for such stores.
The impact on the care of breast cancer patients, of a pharmacy technician-led medication review and counselling clinic, provided in an outpatient setting, was investigated using a controlled randomised study. Compared to the controls, clinic patients showed a significantly improved level of understanding of their chemotherapy support medication (95% CI for difference in mean knowledge rating scores ¼ 2.165 -2.826, Po0.001) and a significant reduction in the median number of support items required (two compared to five in the control, Po0.001). This resulted in a significant reduction in mean medication expenditure per patient (d26.70 vs d10.20, 95% CI for the mean difference in cost d6.72 -d26.26, Po0.001). The clinic was also associated with significant reductions in chemotherapy delays (Po0.001) and dose reductions due to side effects (P ¼ 0.003). Other benefits from the clinic were a reduction in pharmacy dispensing time and a highly significant reduction in pharmacy time spent resolving post-clinic prescription queries (Po0.001). Taking into account the initial technician training cost, the scheme represented an annual saving to the Trust of over d15 000. The clinic serves as a model for those wishing to improve outpatient services to breast cancer patients.
Locating and retaining sample members is a challenge for any longitudinal study. If sample members are lost to follow-up, the potential for non-response bias increases and power for analyses decreases. Survey researchers have several tools available to locate sample members and a new one has emerged: the internet. This article reports on the use of social media-in particular, Facebook-to contact participants in a longitudinal study and encourage them to complete a telephone interview. Individuals we located on Facebook were significantly more likely to be white, have attended at least some college, and have higher household incomes than the rest of the study sample.We then identify two categories of completed interviews associated with Facebook: those achieved (1) as a direct result of our Facebook contact and (2) seemingly because they were influenced by the Facebook contact. There were no significant differences on several demographic measures for the former group, but the latter shows differences in race/ethnicity, education, age, and household income-and not always in expected directions. We conclude that Facebook can be an effective tool for locating and contacting sample members who have not replied to more traditional attempts to reach them.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.