Assessment of Prior and acquiered knowledge relating to the implementation of a new sebject of pharmacy career

CABRAL PÉREZ M; BIRRI M; AGNESE AM; ORTEGA G

Rosario

Congreso; VI Reunión Internacional de Ciencias Farmacéuticas.; 2012

niversidades Nacionales de Córdoba y Rosario

Introduction The Higher Education Act1 establishes that professions whose practices could compromise the public interest by putting the population health at risk in a direct way, requires their degrees being accredited by the Comisión Nacional de Evaluación y Acreditación Universitaria (CONEAU). Since 2007, the Pharmacy degree of the Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, from the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba has been accredited. Accreditation required  the curriculum modification  with the aim of fulfills the quality standard established2, incorporating the subject "Elements of Bromatology", with a total of 23 h duration, with a series of theoretical and theoretical -practical (TP) activities . "Functional Foods (FF)? was one of the TP activities whose subject has taken off in recent years in the world, Japan remains one of the pioneering countries in the development of FF 3 .Our country recently  (in 2011), has had a new legislation on prebiotics and probiotics, products that are considered as FF 4, 5 Thereby, the aim of this study was to identify the knowledge that the students of Pharmacy degree  have on this subject, considering that this activity was given for the first time in 2011.   MATERIALS AND METHODS A pre-post intervention study was carried out, without a control group. For this reason, it formed a sample composed of subject students, which were invited to voluntarily participate. The intervention (TP of FF) was to instruct on the FF subject and then identify the group of food container which were FF, justifying their response, with the acquired knowledge. The measuring instrument was a self-administered survey, which contained general questions about FF and habits of students in their role as food consumers. Data were loaded and processed using Epi Info Program.   RESULTS The activity was developed during the second semester of 2011. The sample was composed of 63 students, over a total of 66, of whom 81% were female. The average age was 23 years. When it was asked if they knew what was FF, before the TP of FF, the 38.8 % replied yes, increasing this value to 61.2 % after completion of the activity. With respect to which was the main source of information on FF, prior to the activity, the advertising ( 27.5 %) was in the first place, while after the activity the 68.3 % indicated that this information came from the faculty, leaving publicity with a value of 4.8 %. To be consulted about what information they read first when observed a label, before the instruction predominated the calories level with 37.5 % (this value declined to 23.8 % after the TP of FF). After the intervention, there was a variation and the 33.3 % observed as a first option the list of ingredients (value that before the intervention was 25.0 %). Consulted on what FF consumed, during the first implementation of the survey, students recognized they consumed 6 food groups that can be regarded as FF. After the TP of FF that value increased to 11. In addition to the 5 new groups added it must be noted that the above categories showed a significant increase, being of particular interest "dairy products with Pre/Probiotics? which increased from 13.68 % to 26.32 %.   CONCLUSIONS The activity was well received by the students, showing interest on the subject. In accord with the analyzed results it was evident that after the activity the students consulted more the lists of ingredients and also found in the Facultad de Ciencias Químicas (UNC) a source of information. Based on the question "What FF do you consume?" answers, it?s clear that students were able to relate the concept of FF to the current legislation in the country. In addition, valuable suggestions and comments were gained. These will allow an improvement of the subject content the next year.   Finally, special emphasis on training the future pharmacist in the use of terminologies associated with food was made as well as to highlight their professional role as a member of the health team, at the time of give information.                  ACKNOWLEDGMENT To the students that during the 2011 attended the subject by its good predisposition and collaboration in favor to the improvement of the curricular activities.