Abstract:

The growing diversity of pharmaceutical and health-related products, together with the increasing presence of falsified items on the market, poses a challenge for older adults, who are frequent users of these products. This study presents a lifelong learning experience implemented in the course Introduction to Biomedical Sciences with students from La Nau Gran, a university programme of the University of Valencia aimed at adults over 55 who wish to continue learning through academically structured courses. Participants typically engage in lifelong learning for personal enrichment, cultural development and active ageing.

The activity aimed to improve learners’ ability to distinguish between pharmaceutical product categories(medicines, medical devices, food supplements, biocides and cosmetics) and to identify key indicators for detecting falsifications. A pretest (PRE)–instruction–posttest (POST) format was used. After completing a diagnostic questionnaire, participants received a guided lecture supported by slide-based explanations. They then engaged in a hands-on group activity, analysing real product samples and discussing their classification. A posttest and a satisfaction survey were administered to measure learning gains and perceived usefulness.

Participants (n = 10) were all men aged between 55 and over 70, with educational backgrounds ranging from secondary education to postgraduate degrees. Most were retired (7), while two remained in employment and one was in early retirement. Their involvement in La Nau Gran ranged from first-year students to individuals with more than six years of experience in the programme.

Quantitative results show substantial improvement. Total correct responses increased from 24 (PRE) to 56 (POST), representing more than double the initial score. The largest gains corresponded to items addressing critical safety indicators:
- Question 1, recognising the authentic CE marking, which can easily be confused with similar fraudulent symbols, improved from 0 to 8.
- Question 4, concerning the symbol for narcotic and controlled substances, improved from 2 to 9.
- Question 5, addressing the meaning of a key symbol in medical devices, increased from 1 to 9.

Only one question showed a slight decrease (7→5), suggesting that the nuances of food-supplement labelling may require clearer explanation.

Satisfaction ratings were consistently high (between 4 and 5 out of 5). Participants highlighted that what they appreciated most was the practical component, the acquisition of new knowledge, and the perception that the session was clear, informative and highly instructive, both in its delivery and in the design of the activity.

Although the sample size was small (n = 10), the intervention functioned as a model pilot educational activity, offering valuable preliminary evidence of the effectiveness of experiential methodologies in lifelong learning and their potential to strengthen health literacy in older adults.

Keywords:

Lifelong-learning, health literacy, active learning, pharmaceutical product identification, falsification awareness, La Nau Gran, experiential learning, biomedical education, older adults.