Assessment of Community Pharmacists’ Counseling Practices With Simulated Patients Who Have Minor Illness

Rocha, Chiara Erminia da; Bispo, Mônica L.; Santos, Anne Caroline Oliveira dos; Mesquita, Alessandra Rezende; Brito, Giselle de Carvalho; Lyra, Divaldo Pereira de

doi:10.1097/sih.0000000000000100

Cited by 20 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…A cross-sectional survey using the simulated-patient (SP) method (or mystery patient/shopper) was used in this study. This method is simple and provides real behavior and practice from the client’s perspective 1,18,20. This research approach is also simple but robust method for assessing the community pharmacists’ dispensing practices.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Assessment of diarrhea treatment and counseling in community pharmacies in Baghdad, Iraq: A simulated patient study

Ibrahim¹,

Palaian²,

Ibrahim³

2018

Pharm Pract (Granada)

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Background:Because community pharmacists are the most accessible healthcare professionals, they are often involved in managing minor ailments within the community setting.Objective:This study evaluated the community pharmacists’ history taking practice, medicine dispensing and advice in response to acute diarrhea.Methods:Authors conducted a simulated-patient study in 75 community pharmacies in Baghdad, Iraq from February to May 2015. The female simulated-patient complained of acute diarrhea that had lasted for one day and requested for medicine to treat her condition. After exiting each pharmacy, she then assessed the practices of the community pharmacists through the use of a specially designed checklist adopted with modifications from relevant guidelines. For history taking, a maximum total of eight was the highest obtainable score. Data collected was quantitatively analyzed and Mann-Whitney, Chi-square or Fishers exact tests were used at an alpha level of 0.05.Results:All of the 75 pharmacies visited were managed by professionally qualified pharmacists. The most common questions asked during history taking were number of diarrheal episodes (n=62; 82.7%); duration of symptoms (n=59; 78.7%) and presence of other diseases and if any drug had been taken (n=58; 77.3%). Female pharmacists had a higher total mean score (6.45, SD=1.33) for history taking when compared to their male counterparts (4.34, SD=2.13); p <0.001. Medicine combination of diphenoxylate HCl 2.5mg + atropine sulphate 0.025mg (n=34; 27.9%) was most frequently dispensed while the least was oral rehydration salt (n=1; 0.8%). Around 20% (n=15) of pharmacists dispensed antimicrobial agents. Over half (n=46; 61.3%) of pharmacists indicated the frequency of use on the medicine packet. Conversely, less than half (n=33; 44.0%) gave any advice on food and fluid intake.Conclusions:Majority of the community pharmacists asked at least four questions while taking patient history and was very likely to recommend antidiarrheal medicines as first line treatment options. The authors recommend the development of a minimum standard of practice as well as enhanced training for Iraqi community pharmacists.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There is evidence to suggest that members of the Iraqi public frequently use community pharmacies to access healthcare services 17,18. A study by Ibrahim et al 17.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of diarrhea treatment and counseling in community pharmacies in Baghdad, Iraq: A simulated patient study

Ibrahim¹,

Palaian²,

Ibrahim³

2018

Pharm Pract (Granada)

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“…This method provides a way to document unconscious real behavior and practice from the client’s perspective in a first-hand and standardized fashion. This method is also simple and is a method for assessing the community pharmacists’ dispensing practices 12,13. The simulated patient method, which is also described in literature as the mystery shopper technique, is a method that can be effectively used to study the practice perspectives and professional behaviors.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating community pharmacy practice in Qatar using simulated patient method: acute gastroenteritis management

Ibrahim

Palaian

Al-Sulaiti

et al. 2016

Pharm Pract (Granada)

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Objective:To evaluate Qatari pharmacists’ prescribing, labeling, dispensing and counseling practices in response to acute community-acquired gastroenteritis.Methods:The simulated patient method was used in this study. Thirty pharmacies in Doha were randomly selected and further randomized into two groups: Face-to-Face (n=15) vs. Telephone-call (n=15) per simulated patient; 2 simulated patients were involved. Prescribing, labeling, dispensing and counseling practices were assessed. Data analysis was performed using Mann-Whitney and chi square tests at alpha=0.05.Results:Most pharmacists prescribed and dispensed medicines (96%), including antimicrobials (43.9%), antidiarrheals (36%), antiemetics (5.1%) and antipyretics (3%). Counseling practices were poor (62.1% in the face-to-face group vs 70% in the telephone-call group did not counsel simulated patients about the dispensed medicines; p-value=0.50). In more than one-third of the encounters, at least one labeling parameter was missing. The duration of each interaction in minutes was not significantly different between the groups [median (IQR); 3(4.25) in the face-to-face group versus 2(0.25) in the telephone-call group; p-value=0.77]. No significant differences in prescribing or dispensing behaviors were present between groups (p-value>0.05).Conclusion:Qatar community pharmacists’ labeling, dispensing, and counseling practices were below expectation, thus urging the need for continuous professional development.

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“…Delegating a role of “counselling hub” to the pharmacists involves that they have sufficient time and skills to decide what is appropriate regarding medication or GP referring. For instance, a study performed in Brazil in around 40 pharmacists concluded that the scope of the information they provided to the patients focused on pharmacotherapy characteristics rather than assessing the patient's complaint first (da Rocha et al, ). Furthermore, one may postulate that there is great heterogeneity among community pharmacists in terms of motivation and capacities.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Self‐medication in pain management: The state of the art of pharmacists’ role for optimal Over‐The‐Counter analgesic use

Perrot

Cittée²,

Louis

et al. 2019

European Journal of Pain

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Background and Objective Self‐medication is associated with an important utilization of Over‐The‐Counter (OTC) analgesics. The medical outcome resulting from therapeutic options bypassing the physician prescription is a major issue. In that context, pharmacists are expected to play a crucial role. The main objective of this review was to analyse the state‐of‐the art of pharmacists' role in pain management self‐medication. Databases and Data Treatment An expert multidisciplinary group dedicated to self‐medication in pain was established. Selection of publications was performed from PubMedand EMBASE databases which was based on the use of “pain” and/or “self‐medication” and/or “self‐care” and/or “analgesics” and/or “painkillers” keywords, restricted to the past 10 years. Results A total of 480 papers were identified, 49 of which papers were considered relevant and finally kept for final discussion, on OTC pain management and pharmacist's role. Literature analysis demonstrates that OTC analgesics are generally safe when appropriately used. Risks associated with misuse or inappropriateness depend on patients’ vulnerability (elderly, pregnancy) or behaviour. Social cognitive theory‐based intervention and multimedia applications improve self‐medication but do not replace health care professional advice Pharmacists’ interventions may improve the benefits and safety of OTC analgesic medication, with a better management of pain. Conclusions Considering the heterogeneity of patients’ knowledge and behaviour reported worldwide, inappropriate use of OTC pain medication should not be underestimated. Community pharmacists are ideally placed to guide self‐medication or recommend a medical advice when needed. Embedding pharmacists in primary care pain management is essential and pharmacist‐led medication coupled with an appropriate training of pharmacy staffs should be encouraged. Significance Analgesics are widely used without prescription, all over the world. They represent the largest market of OTC drugs, with an overall benefit/risk ratio favourable when appropriately used. Because of potential individual risks associated to the ailment or to the patient's behaviour, pharmacists’ interventions have proven to optimize analgesic self‐medication, provided that pharmacy staffs are both available and more specifically trained. In the future, in pain management, especially self‐medication, pharmacists should play an increasing role and should be included in educational programmes and pain management guidelines.

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Assessment of Community Pharmacists’ Counseling Practices With Simulated Patients Who Have Minor Illness

Cited by 20 publications

References 39 publications

Assessment of diarrhea treatment and counseling in community pharmacies in Baghdad, Iraq: A simulated patient study

Assessment of diarrhea treatment and counseling in community pharmacies in Baghdad, Iraq: A simulated patient study

Evaluating community pharmacy practice in Qatar using simulated patient method: acute gastroenteritis management

Self‐medication in pain management: The state of the art of pharmacists’ role for optimal Over‐The‐Counter analgesic use

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