The aims of the study were to identify the types, determine the extent of community pharmacists' involvement, and evaluate the factors influencing their participation in public health activities in Nigeria. The study was a cross-sectional survey of randomly selected 130 registered community pharmacies. Pretested questionnaire was the instrument for data collection. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse data. Response rate was 94.9%. The study identified 31 types of public health activities which community pharmacists participated in. Their extent of involvement was highest in patient counseling (4.93 ± 0.25), personal hygiene (4.90 ± 0.37), maintenance of normal blood pressure (4.88 ± 0.32), and techniques for using vagina pessaries (4.85 ± 0.38). Lowest areas of involvement were elimination of smokeless tobacco use (2.27 ± 1.56), use of seat belts when driving (2.03 ± 1.46), and the need to live in a safe neighborhood (1.42 ± 0.53). Inadequate training (96%), lack of pharmacists' time (94.6%), inadequate personnel (92.3%), lack of patients' time (88.5%), lack of profit (85.4%), inadequate space in the pharmacy (82.3%) and inadequate patients' information (69.9%) significantly influenced their participation. The study concluded that community pharmacists would participate more in public health activities if the identified barriers are reduced.
Background: Achieving universal health coverage in poorly-resourced settings like Nigeria demands optimal mobilization of all healthcare resources including community pharmacists. Such efforts are hampered by insufficient data on primary healthcare (PHC) contributions by community pharmacists. The study aimed to identify PHC services offered by community pharmacists; assess impact of technologies on PHC service quality; and evaluate factors influencing management of PHC services in Nigeria. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey of 321 community pharmacies and 642 clients was undertaken between April and August, 2019. Semi-structured pre-tested questionnaires were administered on randomly-selected community pharmacists and clients. Interviews were conducted with key informants. Data were summarized using frequency and percentages while weighted averages on 5-point ordinal scales and chi-square tests were used to identify weights and associations between variables respectively at P<.050. Results: Response rates of pharmacists and clients were 74.7% (N=321) and 100% (N=642); while their median ages were 39.41 and 51.20 years respectively. Community pharmacists offered services in all eight domains of PHC, especially supply of medicines for treating of endemic diseases (mean weighted average [MWA]=4.59), and disease prevention (4.54) but least of vaccine administration (2.39). Blood glucose screening devices were the most adopted technology with significant impact on service quality (χ2 6.86, P=.030). Major challenges to management of PHC services were poor awareness of pharmacists’ roles (4.31) and lack of integration with the PHC infrastructure (4.31). Capacity constraints in finances (4.11), technologies (4.09), and human resources (3.99) were significant. However, major facilitators were pharmacists’ managerial skills (4.35), and strong client relationships (4.27). Conclusion: In Nigeria, community pharmacists offered important PHC services. Deploying technologies were associated with improved service quality. If community pharmacists are integrated in the national PHC architecture and financial incentives are provided, their competences and goodwill would enhance the achievement of universal health coverage.
BackgroundThe use of the modified-prescription event monitoring technique has facilitated the understanding and reporting of pharmacovigilance (PV). However, in Nigeria, PV activities are largely misunderstood. Furthermore, there is a dearth of information on the knowledge and perceptions of pharmacy students on PV activities in relation to demographics. This study investigated and assessed the knowledge and perceptions of pharmacy students about pharmacovigilance as well as the demographic factors that are related to pharmacovigilance activities.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted among final year pharmacy students in three universities in months of January and February, 2016 with permission from the institutions and with written consents from 342 respondents. Pre-tested questionnaire was used to elicit information on the study objectives. Data were analysed using appropriate descriptive and inferential statistical techniques.ResultsThe study revealed that the mean score on knowledge of pharmacy students on pharmacovigilance activities was 4.3 ± 0.18 which was significant according to gender (P < 0.001), students’ university (P < 0.001), and previous exposure to PV subjects (P < 0.001). Sixty-four percent of the students had positive perceptions about PV activities which was significant at P < 0.00 according to gender and their various universities. Less than half of the respondents 165 (48.2%) were able to correctly name the organisation that collates and document ADR reports in Nigeria. Only 21 (6.1%) of the respondents gave the correct answer to whether or not all possible ADRs of a drug can be determined during clinical trials or during pre-marketing phase of drug assessment. About 204 (59.7%) of the respondents erroneously believed that adverse reactions caused by cosmetics should not be reported.ConclusionsRespondents have inadequate knowledge of PV activities. Therefore, pharmacy student educators should enhance students’ knowledge about PV through training, during clerkship, and lay more emphasis on relevant PV courses in the Pharmacy Curriculum.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13104-017-2586-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Objectives To identify the common types of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) detected and reported by community pharmacists in Nigeria. In addition we examined the extent of community pharmacists' involvement in ADR activities and evaluated the factors influencing community pharmacists' role in monitoring and reporting ADRs. Methods The study was conducted among community pharmacists using a convenience sampling process. Verbal consent to participate in the study was sought during this initial contact. Structured and pre-tested questionnaires made up of closed and open-ended questions were given to the community pharmacists. Community pharmacists answered questions on demographics, the extent of their involvement in ADR activities, pharmacological class of drugs causing ADRs and number of ADRs detected and reported as well as the factors influencing their role in ADR activities. Key findings Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis. The response rate for the study was 92.7%. The extent of involvement of community pharmacists in ADR activities was low. A total of 41cases of ADRs were identified and reported. Variables that were significant at P < 0.05 and the study revealed that influences on community pharmacists' role in ADR activities were knowledge of ADRs (1.369), community pharmacists' experience (1.330) and patients' medical information (1.183). Conclusion Analyses indicated that all classes of drugs examined, including herbal medicines, caused ADRs. This is contrary to the widely held view that herbal preparations are non-toxic in nature. Hence, this finding will elicit more interest in effective medication management and monitoring.
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