DINE: DRUG DATABASE OPTION

THIS PROJECT WILL DEVELOP A DRUG DATABASE OPTION THAT WILL BE ADDED TO THE DINE WINDOWS NUTRIENT ANALYSIS, DIET IMPROVEMENT SOFTWARE PACKAGE. THE PURPOSE OF THE DRUG DATABASE OPTION IS TO MAKE INDIVIDUAL CONSUMERS MORE AWARE OF POTENTIAL FOOD-DRUG PROBLEMS. SOME PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, OVER-THE-COUNTER DRUGS, AND NON-NUTRIENT FOOD CONSTITUENTS HAVE BEEN NOTED TO HAVE ADVERSE EFFECTS ON NUTRITIONAL STATUS, AND FOOD AND DIETARY PATTERNS CAN EFFECT THE ABSORPTION, DISTRIBUTION, AND BIOAVAILABILITY OF CERTAIN DRUGS. THE DRUG DATABASE OPTION WILL IDENTIFY THESE POTENTIAL PROBLEMS AND ADVISE INDIVIDUALS REGARDING THE POTENTIAL SERIOUSNESS OF THE PROBLEM. THE MAJOR OUTCOME OF THE MESSAGE SYSTEM WILL BE TO PREVENT PROBLEMS BEFORE THEY OCCURAND FOSTER POSITIVE COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS AND HEALTH PROFESSIONALS. DURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SOFTWARE PROGRAM AND DATABASE,FORMATIVE AND PROCESS EVALUATIONS WILL BE CONDUCTED WITH MEDICAL AND BEHAVIORAL EXPERTS, EMPLOYEE END-USERS, AND HEALTH EDUCATION PROFESSIONALS TO REFINE THE COMMUNICATIVE ASPECTS AND SOFTWARE INTERFACE. THE INNOVATIVE FEATURES OF THE DRUG DATABASE OPTION WILL MAKE THE NUTRIENT ANALYSIS SOFTWARE MORE COMPREHENSIVE AND THUS COMPETITIVE IN THE HEALTH PROMOTION AND WELLNESS MARKETPLACE.