Raj Shah Scholarship Winner
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Major:Psychology
Number of Surveys Collected:307
Research Title:Tylenol vs. Advil: An Analysis of Public Opinion
Abstract: The use of painkillers within modern society has become increasingly frequent over the last few decades, and emerging at the forefront of painkiller medications are two drugs almost every individual can identify: Tylenol and Advil. While these medications are fairly common, the underlying mechanisms and ingredients that both Tylenol and Advil incorporate are usually more difficult to recognize. Consequently, the purpose of this report is to publicize these unfamiliar characteristics of each medication and ultimately offer the consumer a basis from which to make a comparison. While the report will not be biased toward either Tylenol or Advil, the information included should be sufficient enough to expand the consumer’s knowledge of the two drugs and thus allow them to make a more educated decision, whether it be a preference for one medication over the other, or a decreased usage overall.
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Tristan Bennett Honorable Mention
University of Utah
Major:English
Number of Surveys Collected:233
Research Title:Not Enough Said About NSAIDs
Abstract: 30 billion over the counter pain medications are sold annually. Included in this figure is a type of medication known as NSAIDs or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. While useful and necessary in a modern-day existence these medications can have serious complications when not used appropriately. Using information gathered from a six-month long survey internship sponsored by www.rateadrug.com we will see what is being done to track the use and abuse of these so-called safe medications.
Fahmia Rahman Honorable Mention
Emory University
Major:Chemistry; Biology
Number of Surveys Collected:315
Research Title:Common Medications Taken by Americans: Ages 50 and Over
Abstract: RateADrug.com users evaluate their treatments by rating effectiveness of prescription drugs and alternative medicinal therapies. Additionally, the site allows for the comparisons of various brands and large-scale sharing of side effects and efficacy of prescription and over– the –counter medicines. A small collection of surveys over the last 90 days have shown a pattern of medicines used among older Americansages 50 to 85. As was hypothesized, the following analysis shows that Americans within such an age range take a combination of prescription and alternative medicines to treat long-term illnesses.
Rashi Kabra
Major:Biology
Number of Surveys Collected:200
Research Title:Finding the Right Pain Reliever for You
Abstract: Questionnaires based on over-the-counter pain medications and recent research done by health care specialists have been compiled and examined to extract useful information for consumers about two classes of pain relievers: NSAIDs, including naproxen, aspirin, and ibuprofen, as well as acetaminophen. The possible risks, benefits, and uses for each of these over-the-counter pain killers have been outlined. The common belief that all of these pain killers can be used with the same efficacy for all types of minor aches and pains has been disproven. Instead, studies have shown that each pain killer has unique uses and risks, and that each type should only be used by the appropriate customer. Articles outlining the Food and Drug Administration’s efforts with drug abuse and the effects of taking different medicines simultaneously have also been studied and useful information extracted in this report.
Joshua Axman
University of Florida
Number of Surveys Collected:226
Research Title: Determining the differences in efficacy between Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen
Abstract: A study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of acetaminophen versus ibuprofen. Without the influence of pharmaceutical companies, this study is less biased in its results when compared to standard clinical trial practices. To conduct the study, participants completed treatment evaluations on the over-the-counter medications. The evaluations gave a numerical value for overall effectiveness on a 0 to 10 scale, with 0 being completely ineffective and 10 being completely effective. Forty-one evaluations were collected from acetaminophen users and forty-seven evaluations were collected from ibuprofen users. Using a 95% confidence interval and a two-tailed T-test, it was determined that there is no significant difference in general pain relief effectiveness between acetaminophen and ibuprofen (Z-score of .056). But, a study that distinguishes between different types of pains could give different and more significant results. Using each drug for different types of pain could be an effective way to test how well each works for particular pains.
Samantha Drew
Clayton State University
Number of Surveys Collected:250
Research Title:Synthetic Birth Control Hormones
Justin Arnall
Number of Surveys Collected:244
Research Title: A look at and analysis of prescription drug trends and what it may mean for American society
Abstract: Through the PPREP internship I interviewed a wide variety of people looking for trends and drugs that are most common in our society. What I find in my interviews, as well as through my experience as a Pharmacy Technician, is that the most prevalent drugs prescribed relate to heart, cholesterol, pain, and other problems associated with bad lifestyles. This experience seems to coincide with broader statistics. Even more disturbing is a lack of motivation found in patients to make lifestyle changes that could reduce some dependency on medications and thus reduce health care costs. Applied on a larger, national scale, this my data and experience show that to fix health care we must fix the lifestyle of the average American.
Sara Thompson
Major:Health Ecology
Number of Surveys Collected:203
Research Title:Are You Taking Birth Control?
Abstract: The following paper presents issues and benefits of surveying the public regarding pharmaceutical drugs, primarily contraceptives. The excerpt will provide an analysis of the responses different people had, what works and what does not as a surveyor. Women, the targeted population, were to anonymously answer several questions about birth control among other common birth controls used in the Reno community. The responses were intriguing and continue to amaze me as many women between the ages 19-50 are not taking any sort of contraceptive and never have.
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