What does self-medication counseling in Bulgarian community pharmacies look like – a field study

Abstract

The aim of the study is to identify the current practices of self-medication in Bulgaria, estimate the extent patients are influenced by information about the safety of OTC products and pharmacists’ role and behavior in the process. An anonymous, questionnaire-based, descriptive study was carried out among 280 pharmacists. The majority of the patients (92.6%) ask for pharmacists’ advice before buying OTC products. Most often patients need OTC drugs for mild conditions (80.7%), to save time (63.9%), and because they are unable to consult a physician (61.9%). The medium duration of consultation for an OTC product is between 5 and 10 minutes. The main barriers hindering the process are unwillingness from the patient (72.5%), lack of time (27.5%), and lack of confidentiality (26.6%). OTC medicines are considered safer than prescription-only medicines by pharmacists. Pharmacists could substantially contribute to rational self-medication and alleviate the burden on healthcare systems.