Features of pharmaceutical consulting by specialists of pharmacy institutions for the problem of hair loss in pharmacy visitors

Abstract

Introduction. The problem of hair loss affects different segments of the population, regardless of gender or age, and may be a consequence of diseases of various etiologies. Most patients with hair loss problems go directly to pharmacies, bypassing the doc­tor's office. A pharmaceutical worker becomes a key figure in the process of advising and informing patients on the appropriate choice and use of medicines, dietary supplements and cosmetic products in case of a problem. The aim of the work was to study the information and educational needs of specialists of pharmacy institutions of the Republic of Crimea, as well as their awareness of pharmaceutical counseling for pharmacy visitors suffering from hair loss (alopecia). Materials and methods. The assessment of the competence of pharmacy employees in dealing with hair loss problems through compe­tent pharmaceutical counseling and providing information to patients was carried out using a questionnaire. The frequency of the re­spondents' choices of the response options was reflected through the compilation of distribution series for each question. Results. According to pharmaceutical workers, people aged 31 to 45 years old (45%) most often resort to help in a pharmacy. The most in demand are cosmetic products for topical use (47%), as well as dietary supplements and drugs for systemic use (38%). The analysis of the assortment of pharmacies revealed the predominance in the pharmaceutical market of cosmetics for scalp care and hair restoration (39.8%), dietary supplements (31.5%), as well as over-the-counter medicines (25.9%). The main causes of hair loss were stress conditions (18.1%), diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (14.6%), hormonal imbalance (17.7%), insufficient blood supply to hair follicles (15.4%). The majority of respondents answered in the affirmative to the question about their desire to improve their knowledge on the problem of al­opecia, as they came to the conclusion that there was a lack of knowledge to fully advise pharmacy visitors in order to solve the problem of hair loss. Conclusion. The results of the analysis indicate the need for educational courses aimed at improving the skills of specialists of pharmacy institutions in competent pharmaceutical counseling of visitors with the problem of hair loss.