Pharmacy Clients Research Articles

Assessing Knowledge about Antibiotic Resistance and the Prevalence of Self- Medication with Antibiotics among Community Pharmacy Clients in Lagos State.

Background: Knowledgeable self-medication has its advantages, however, without adequate information, it can be dangerous and harmful. Self-medication with antibiotics (SMA) is common in Nigeria and has led to increased cases of drug resistance, threatening the future relevance of antibiotics. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of SMA among walk-in patients in pharmacies in Lagos state, assessing their level of knowledge about antibiotics, antibiotic resistance, and conditions for use. Methods: The research involved three community pharmacies in Ikeja, Apapa, and Agege areas of Lagos representing high, medium, and low-income areas, respectively. Willing participants above 15 years of age were administered a questionnaire with questions aimed at assessing how often they engage in SMA and their familiarity with factors causing antibiotic resistance. Data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics and results were presented in tables. Chi-square was used to determine levels of association between variables with P-values significant at < 0.05 at 95% confidence interval. Results: Among the respondents, 35.1% indulged in SMA while 64.5% purchased their antibiotic medications through a healthcare professional’s recommendation. Over two-thirds of the respondents had basic knowledge of antibiotic use with a similar fraction being familiar with the existence of antibiotic resistance and factors that contribute to its development. Conclusion: A majority of the respondents were knowledgeable regarding antibiotic use and factors that could lead to antibiotic resistance however, many of them still practiced self-medication with antibiotics. Health promotional activities are encouraged for further enlightenment of the public so as to reduce the widespread prevalence of this challenge.

Finding the right balance: implementation of public\u2013private partnership in artemisinin-based combination therapy provision in Manokwari, Indonesia

BackgroundIndonesia is the second country with the highest number of malaria cases in Southeast Asia. Private health providers including community pharmacies often become the first point of care for the population seeking malaria treatment; however, public–private partnerships for malaria control are not widely implemented. This paper explores the acceptability of a public-private partnership program on the provision of subsidized artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) in community pharmacies from the perspectives of private health providers, patients, and program implementers.MethodsThe study was conducted in Manokwari District in West Papua Province, one of the highest endemic districts in Indonesia. Qualitative methods using interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) were employed to explore the following dimensions of acceptability: affective attitude, burden, ethicality, intervention coherence, opportunity cost, perceived effectiveness, and self-efficacy. Study participants were program implementers, private health providers, and pharmacy clients. Audio-recorded interviews were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis. Secondary data on malaria cases and the use of ACTs reported by community pharmacies were also recorded.ResultsOnly one-fourth of the total community pharmacies in Manokwari participated in the partnership, suggesting low coverage of the program. The proportion of malaria cases reported by community pharmacies increased from 6.9% in 2018 to 30.7% of cases. Most participants had a positive attitude towards the program, which might be associated with the perceived effectiveness of the partnership in improving access to ACTs. Despite the good understanding of the intervention by the participating pharmacies, limited involvement of private physicians often resulted in non-standardized treatment practices. The partnership also imposed a burden on private health providers in terms of human resources and time which entailed significant opportunity costs. A number of ethical issues might undermine the equity of access to ACTs.ConclusionDespite the positive attitude to the partnership, the perceived burden might outweigh the tangible benefits, posing threats to scaling up the intervention and sustainability. Innovations to simplify the administrative procedures in combination with performance-based incentives are needed to improve implementation. Engagement of patients and physicians is needed to increase the effectiveness of the partnership.

The Types and Pattern of Use of Mobile Health Applications Among the General Population: A Cross-Sectional Study from Selangor, Malaysia.

PurposeThe aims of this study are to explore the types and patterns of use of health mobile apps among pharmacy clients in Selangor, Malaysia, and to explore the users’ experiences and views regarding the benefits of and issues with the use of the health apps.Patients and MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted with 278 pharmacy clients who were using health apps on their smartphones. A survey was developed, piloted, and rolled out, comprised of socio-demographic characteristics, information regarding the common types and the pattern of health app use, the benefits of health apps, and issues that users faced while using these apps. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS version 21.ResultsThe mean (±SD) age of health app users was 29.8 (±11.74) years old, and over half of them (51.8%) were male, while less than half were female (48.2%). There were 48 different types of mobile health apps used by the participants in this study. The two most common were multi-purpose general health apps (53.6%) and fitness apps (38.1%). In terms of pattern of use, 33.5% of the participants reported using their health apps daily, 36.7% at least once weekly, and 25.2% monthly. The main benefits reported by the users were tracking of health status (47%), motivation (41%), and knowledge about health and fitness (9%). The main issues reported by the participants included inaccuracy of the app (24%), inconvenience (20.7%), and not being user-friendly (18.5%).ConclusionThe study showed that the participants used many different types of mobile health apps for several purposes, including general health, wellness, fitness, and self-management of diseases. These apps helped the participants to track their health-related activities and motivated them to maintain their wellness and fitness. Further areas of improvement were identified to ensure evidence-based and effective utilization of apps to achieve required health outcomes.

Acceptability and Feasibility of Pharmacy-Based Delivery of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis in Kenya: A Qualitative Study of Client and Provider Perspectives

As countries scale up pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention, diverse PrEP delivery models are needed to expand access to populations at HIV risk that are unwilling or unable to access clinic-based PrEP care. To identify factors that may influence implementation of retail pharmacy-based PrEP delivery in Kenya, we conducted in-depth interviews with 40 pharmacy clients, 16 pharmacy providers, 16 PrEP clients, and 10 PrEP providers from two provinces. Most participants expressed strong support for expanding PrEP to retail pharmacies, though conditioned their acceptance on assurances that care would be private, respectful, safe, and affordable. Participant-reported determinants of feasibility centered primarily on ensuring that the intervention is compatible with retail pharmacy operations (e.g., staffing levels, documentation requirements). Future research is needed to develop and test tailored packages of implementation strategies that are most effective at integrating PrEP delivery into routine pharmacy practice in Kenya and other high HIV prevalence settings.

Misuse of drugs in the District of Bamako, Mali

Introduction: In Mali, the irrational use of drugs constitutes a public health problem through the misuse of certain psychotropic and / or analgesic drugs for drug addiction purposes. The aim of this study was to measure the consumption of drugs diverted from their therapeutic use in Bamako. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study carried out in Bamako with a sample of 260 respondents: 98 health workers and 162 clients (pharmacies) / patients (hospitals). Results: Men were more affected than women, with 62% of cases. The 15-45 age group accounted for 55% of cases. According to the results, workers and students respectively represented 19% and 17% of cases. Promethazine (20%), the combination Paracetamol / codeine / caffeine (13%) and Tramadol (11%) were the drugs most commonly used and diverted from their medical use among clients of pharmacies. According to pharmacists, the drugs affected by misuse were Misoprostol (10%), Clonazepam (9%) and Promethazine (9%). According to doctors and nurses, Misoprostol, Promethazine and diazepam were used for other purposes with 23%, 16% and 13%, respectively. Conclusion: In order to reduce this practice, a synergy of action by health professionals is essential for the rational use of drugs.

Self-medication consultations in community pharmacy: an exploratory study on teams’ performance, client-reported outcomes and satisfaction

Background:Community pharmacy teams (CPTs) have an established role in assisting self-medication, contributing to the safe and effective use of non-prescription medicines.Objective:The study aimed to describe CPTs’ performance in self-medication consultation, client-reported outcomes, and satisfaction. A secondary purpose was to develop an explanatory model for better understanding clients’ satisfaction with this service.Methods:Descriptive, cross-sectional exploratory study. Data were collected in a purposive sample of pharmacy clients recruited in six community pharmacies in Portugal. CPTs adopted a structured approach to self-medication consultations, encompassing 11 quality criteria (five for case evaluation and six for counselling). An evaluation score, a counselling score and an overall quality score were estimated. Client-reported outcomes and satisfaction were ascertained via a follow-up telephone interview. Besides descriptive statistics, the association with several independent variables on the clients’ overall satisfaction was explored, using linear regression.Results:Product-based dispensing was more frequent for lower educated clients. Reported compliance with the criteria by CPTs was overall high (93.95% of maximum compliance), mostly missing the ‘other medication’ questioning. Most clients (93%) reported improvement after the consultation. Clients’ satisfaction score was 4.70 out of 5. The variables that seem to better explain clients’ overall satisfaction are pharmacy loyalty, the evaluation score, and the female gender.Conclusions:Clients’ reported outcomes were favourable, as well as satisfaction with the service. Clients’ satisfaction appears to be determined by consultation quality (evaluation score), suggesting the advancement of the pharmacists’ clinical role. A larger study is warranted to confirm these findings.

Utility of information in package inserts by pharmacists and pharmacy clients in a metropolitan city in Southwest Nigeria

Abstract Objective Package inserts provide relevant information to patients and health care professionals on the safety and rational use of drugs. This study evaluated the utility of package inserts by pharmacy clients for information, and by pharmacists during consultation and counselling with patients. Methods This cross-sectional self-administered questionnaire-based study was conducted in Ibadan, Nigeria among 705 pharmacy clients and 344 community and hospital pharmacists. The questionnaire had a 12-item and a 14-item package insert utility scale for pharmacists and pharmacy clients, respectively. The level of utility and association between demographic variables and package insert utility scores were determined with Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests at P < 0.05. Key findings The response rate was 88.2% for pharmacy clients and 67.2% for pharmacists. Most of the pharmacy clients, 459 (73.8%), check for package inserts in drug packs. The most assessed information in package inserts was dose 432 (69.5%). Some of the pharmacy clients, 276 (44.4%), considered information from health professionals more reliable than that in package inserts. The pharmacy clients’ level of education was associated with package insert utility score (P = 0.001). Most of the pharmacists, 137 (59.3%), read package inserts but only 36 (15.6%) consulted package inserts during counselling with patients. The pharmacists’ age and the number of years spent in practice were significantly associated with package insert utility scores (P < 0.05). The level of utility of the information in package inserts by the pharmacy clients and the pharmacists was moderate – 66.8 and 60.0%, respectively. Conclusion Both pharmacists and pharmacy clients use package insert content moderately. Pharmacy clients rely more on information provided by health professionals than the information in package inserts but pharmacists seldom consult package inserts during counselling process.

Identifying the commonly used antibiotics for self-medication in urban Mozambique: a qualitative study

ObjectivesThe study aimed at identifying the commonly used non-prescribed antibiotics (NPAs) and the main health conditions leading to the practices of self-medication with antibiotics (SMAs) in Maputo city, Mozambique.DesignCross-sectional qualitative...

Age and education as factors associated with medication literacy: a community pharmacy perspective.

BackgroundAging implies a higher prevalence of chronic pathologies and a corresponding increase in medication. The correct adherence and use of the medication are prerequisites for reducing risks of disease progression, comorbidity, and mortality. Medication literacy (ML) is the specific ability to safely access and understand the information available concerning medication, and to act accordingly. Currently, there are few specific instruments that ascertain the extent of ML in the general population. The aim of this work was to analyse ML in a large cohort of pharmacy customers.MethodsA total of 400 community pharmacy clients were analyzed to assess the level of ML (documental and numeracy) through the validated MedLitRxSE tool.ResultsThe results showed that out of a total of 400 community pharmacy clients only 136 (34%) had an adequate degree of ML, while the rest of the clients (n = 264; 66%) were adjudged not to have this ability. Statistically significant differences were found between the different age groups in terms of ML (P < 0.001; OR = 0.312; 95% CI: 0.195–0.499), the 51–65 and >65-year age groups having a lower frequency of adequate ML (23.5 and 7.1%, respectively) than the rest of the age groups. A statistically significant increase in adequate ML was observed as the academic level of the clients increased (P < 0.001; OR = 15.403; 95% CI: 8.109–29.257). Multivariate logistic regression confirmed the influence of both variables on ML.ConclusionsAn inadequate ML level was found in community pharmacy clients over the age of 51, and also in those with primary or non-formal studies. Our data add to our knowledge about ML, and should pharmacists and other health professionals to adopt new strategies to prevent, or at least reduce, errors in taking medicines, thus avoiding the undesirable effects of any misuse.

Design of a care pathway for pharmacy-based PrEP delivery in Kenya: results from a collaborative stakeholder consultation

IntroductionIn Kenya, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention is almost exclusively delivered at HIV clinics. Developing novel PrEP delivery models is important for increasing the reach of PrEP. Delivery of PrEP through pharmacies is one approach utilized in the US to improve accessibility. Retail pharmacies are commonly used as a first-line access point for medical care in Kenya, but have not been utilized for PrEP delivery. We conducted a collaborative consultative meeting of stakeholders to develop a care pathway for pharmacy-based PrEP delivery in Kenya.MethodsIn January 2020, we held a one-day meeting in Nairobi with 36 stakeholders from PrEP regulatory, professional, healthcare service delivery, civil society, and research organizations. Attendees reviewed a theory of change model, results from formative qualitative research with pharmacy providers and clients, and anticipated core components of pharmacy-based PrEP delivery: counseling, HIV testing, prescribing, and dispensing. Stakeholders participated in small and large group discussions to identify potential challenges and solutions. We synthesized the key findings from these discussions.ResultsStakeholders were enthusiastic about a model for pharmacy-based PrEP delivery. Potential challenges identified included insufficient pharmacy provider knowledge and skills, regulatory hurdles to providing affordable HIV testing at pharmacies, and undefined pathways for PrEP procurement. Potential solutions identified included having pharmacy providers complete the Kenya Ministry of Health-approved PrEP training, use of a PrEP prescribing checklist with remote clinician oversight and provider-assisted HIV self-testing, and having the government provide PrEP and HIV self-testing kits to pharmacies during a pilot test. A care pathway was developed over the course of the meeting.ConclusionsPrEP delivery stakeholders in Kenya were strongly supportive of developing and testing a model for pharmacy-based PrEP delivery to increase PrEP access. We collaboratively developed a care pathway for pilot testing that has the potential to expand PrEP delivery options in Kenya and other similar settings.

Trust in independent community pharmacies: Do employee-related factors matter?

BackgroundOffering quality healthcare services in South Africa’s remote areas remains a challenge. Pharmacies, and independent community pharmacies (ICPs) in particular, can play a vital role in providing access to pharmaceutical products and services in these areas.AimPart of the success of ICPs is the role that their employees play in building trusting relationships with pharmacy clients. It is against this background that this article investigates key employee-related factors that contribute towards building affective, calculative and contractual trust when pharmacy clients are serviced.SettingClients of a specific ICP group participated in the study. The selected ICP group, which manages eight pharmacies across the Western Cape Province, has between 8000 and 41 000 active client profiles per pharmacy.MethodsAll 299 respondents who participated in the study were personally interviewed. Statistical analyses were done through Statistica, and structural equation modelling (SEM) with partial least squares (PLS) was used to assess both the measurement and the structural model.ResultsAlthough a number of significant relationships were confirmed, the importance of especially familiarity is highlighted when trust is managed in a pharmacy client-employee relationship.ConclusionGiven their geographical location, ICPs are ideally situated to provide access to healthcare services in the more remote areas of South Africa. By focusing on managing trust, ICPs can ensure a more constructive experience to their clients.

Pharmacist health coaching in Australian community pharmacies: What do pharmacy professionals think?

Health coaching is a service provided to patients by healthcare professionals for the purposes of disease management and health risk prevention. Internationally, pharmacist health coaching services provided to patients with chronic health conditions have produced beneficial health outcomes. Despite this, the service is not currently provided within Australian community pharmacies. This study evaluates the knowledge, opinions and attitudes of leaders within the pharmacy profession about the concept of health coaching as a service in community pharmacy. Semi-structured interviews with leaders in the pharmacy profession were carried out. Pharmacy leaders were interviewed until data saturation was reached; 10 pharmacists were interviewed. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically; extracts from the transcripts were compared and categorised to establish themes and subcategories. Analysis of the transcripts indicated the emergence of two main themes and 10 subcategories. The main themes were as follows: 'positive view of health coaching in Australian community pharmacy' and 'barriers to integrating health coaching into Australian community pharmacy'. There was an overall perception that health coaching within community pharmacies would be valued by the Australian community. Interviewees held differing perceptions of pharmacists' capability to effectively coach pharmacy clients and suggested that the main impediments to its introduction related to remuneration for the service. The findings indicated that there is a potential for pharmacists to provide a health coaching service in community pharmacies, but that remuneration is a fundamental barrier. The research also indicated the need to clearly identify the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to health coach and to identify whether potential gaps in the competencies of Australian community pharmacists exist.

Prevalence of symptoms and medication use among female medical students and pharmacy clients with premenstrual syndrome: a cross‐sectional study in Iran

AbstractBackgroundAffective and somatic symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) may adversely affect many school‐aged females. Different treatment modalities may be used to help alleviate PMS symptoms.AimThis study documented the prevalence and nature of PMS, as well as medication use, among female pharmacy students and pharmacy clients in Iran.MethodsA cross‐sectional questionnaire‐based study was conducted among university students and pharmacy clients in Kermanshah Province, eastern Iran, from October 2017 to May 2018. Participants were invited to complete a questionnaire about their PMS symptoms, use of medications, natural remedies and supplements for PMS, and the role of the pharmacist in their medication selection.ResultsAmong the 208 female students and clients who participated in the study, the overall prevalence of PMS was 73.6%. Back pain (59.1%) and mood swings (64.9%) were the most frequently reported physical and affective symptoms, respectively. More than three‐quarters of participants (76.9%) used at least one medication (either prescribed or self‐medicated) during menstruation. Self‐medication was reported by 70.2% of participants, mostly (66.3%) involving over‐the‐counter medications. Non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (for analgesia) were used by 49.0% of participants, whereas the oral contraceptive pill was used by only 6.4%. Traditional remedies were used by 42.8% of participants. Overall, community pharmacist involvement in PMS management was reported by only 27.9% of participants.ConclusionSelf‐medication for PMS, especially the use of analgesics, was very common among participants. The use of natural remedies was also significant, highlighting the need for studies to further evaluate the ability of such remedies to relieve PMS symptoms. Overall, community pharmacists were not substantially involved in treatment selection.

Evaluating Pharmacist's Patient Care Process in Shiraz, using a newly-validated questionnaire: The First Report from Iran.

Background:The Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process (PPCP) as one of many inter-related foundations for the delivery of evidence-based and outcomes-focused patient care has a positive trend in academic literatures in the world. Unfortunately, PPCP has not been establish well in community pharmacies in Iran, yet. This study was performed to explore the current status of the provision and perception toward patient care services and finally evaluate professional competency of pharmacists about PPCP implementation, in both patients and pharmacist’s perspectives.Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted using two self-administrated Likert-based questionnaires_ one for pharmacists and another one for patients. In total, 121 pharmacists and 479 patients participated to the study. Questionnaires were distributed and collected in the Shiraz during the Oct 2017 till Jun 2018. Obtained data were analyzed through the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 25. In addition, the competency to PPCP implementation was classified to three groups _good, moderate, and weak _ based on achieving ≥75%, 50%-75%, and <50% of the dimensions’ total score, respectively.Results:The pharmacist’s age range was 23-76 years (mean age: 40.61±12.85 years). Their Competency to PPCP implementation was good (43.8%), moderate (52%), and just 4% weak. Patient’s response to PPCP was 11.2% good, 50.7% moderate and 35.6% weak.Conclusion:Besides promotion of public awareness about PPCP, improvement of pharmacists’ motivation toward these services seems necessary. In addition, the introduced instrument may be useful for practice of pharmacists, but it should be used cautiously until it is tested among clients of pharmacies known to provide all levels of pharmacy care within pharmacy stores. (www.actabiomedica.com)

Effects of non-native word shapes in the recognition and recall of medicine names

Abstract Mistakes involving medicine brand names may lead to serious medication errors and even patients’ death. We tested the effect of medicine brand names shape – native vs. non-native spelling – in two groups of Portuguese speaking subjects: (i) pharmacy clients (older and less educated); (ii) graduate students (younger and more educated). We run a recognition task and an immediate recall task, testing three groups of names with: (1) non-native graphemes, (2) non-native grapho-/phonotactics, (3) native patterns. Results showed that names with non-native properties, especially non-native graphemes, were recalled significantly worse. Non-native patterns had a null effect in the recognition task, possibly due to a facilitating effect of the odd, non-native feature, compensating for the extra demand imposed by non-native patterns on processing. Less educated, older participants consistently performed significantly worse than more educated, younger subjects across experiments. The results suggest the pertinence of adapting medicine names to the language of target users.

Pathways to seeking medication abortion care: A qualitative research in Uttar Pradesh, India

IntroductionAbortion is legal in India and medication abortion (MA) using a combined regimen of mifepristone and misoprostol is the preferred method. Users increasingly purchase MA kits directly from pharmacies, in some cases experiencing perceived complications and approaching a facility for care. We present findings of a qualitative research tracing the decision-making pathway(s) of MA users in Uttar Pradesh, India, to help understand knowledge and behaviour gaps, and recommend ways to improve the overall quality of care at these service delivery points.MethodsForty in-depth interviews were conducted with recent MA users (20 each of clinic and pharmacy clients) across three districts. Providers were purposively selected in collaboration with an international organization selling MA kits, using their list of pharmacies and clinics. MA users were identified from the clients of the selected providers, and additionally through the snow ball method. Interviews were conducted in Hindi with verbal informed consent in a private place convenient to the respondent. Transcripts were translated to English and analysed thematically.ResultsUsers first sought MA kits at pharmacies out of convenience, low cost and customer anonymity. Men often purchased kits for their partners and trusted the chemist for guidance on dosage, progression and side effects. For side effects or other concerns after using an MA kit, users first visited their neighbourhood doctor or traditional practitioner. These providers either attempted to treat the issue and failed, or directly advised her to consult a gynaecologist. The final point of care was gynaecologists, preferably female private practitioners with their own clinics. They diagnosed most abortion-related cases as incomplete abortions, emptying the uterus using the dilation and curettage method. Comparatively low cost and convenience made users inclined towards repeat use of MA.ConclusionThere are information gaps at various stages in the MA pathway that need to be addressed. Large scale public information programmes are required on safe abortion care- when is it legal, where to obtain MA, dosage, side effects and signs of possible complications. Pharmacists could be trained or incentivized to improve their quality of care to facilitate adequate exchange of information on MA. Since, for most couples, the male partner purchases MA, information approaches or tools are needed that pharmacists can give men to share directly with the MA user.

Determination of the knowledge base of community pharmacy clients in relation to mental health conditions and mental health support services.

Determination of the knowledge base of community pharmacy clients in relation to mental health conditions and mental health support services.

Performance model of community pharmacies in low-middle income countries: A societal perspective

During the last decades, pharmacies have been playing an important role in improving the health of societies; they provide pharmaceutical products and patients’ care services for communities. This study aimed to investigate the contribution of the managers’ skills to the performance of community pharmacies. This study is a cross-sectional survey that was performed using three separate self-administered questionnaires to collect data from managers, employees, and the clients of pharmacies. In order for answering to the research question, four hypotheses are developed and analyzed by using Structural Equation Modeling. The results supported the research model and revealed that mangers’ skill significantly influence the performance of the pharmacies in terms of client satisfaction, employee satisfaction, and financial outcome. In addition, the results highlighted that among the pharmacy performance, financial outcome is one that is greatly related to mangers’ skills.

The complex phenomenon of polypharmacy in older age people of Greece: data from the new era of e-prescribing

Polypharmacy is a complex phenomenon with a number of negative effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of simple (6–10 medicines/person), major (> 11), and excessive (> 21) polypharmacy in patients aged ≥ 60 years in the suburban older age population of Greece. The prescribing records of 469 consecutive individuals, aged ≥ 60 years and with homogenous characteristics, who were clients of community pharmacies in two suburban areas of Greece (Athens and Thessaloniki) were examined over a period of 14 months. Medications used to treat chronic diseases were divided into 32 major categories and analyzed by age, sex, and medicine consumption. Polypharmacy was identified in 56.5% of patient records, with 48.8% of records identifying simple polypharmacy and the remaining 7.7% identifying major polypharmacy, with no cases of excessive polypharmacy. An increased usage of chronic drug treatment was observed in the older age groups relative to younger age groups (70.8% of patients aged > 80 years received polypharmacy vs 52.8 and 47.6% of those aged 70–79 and 60–69 years, respectively). The use of polypharmacy did not differ significantly between sexes. The use of chronic disease medication was higher for polypharmacy patients in all drug categories. Polypharmacy in Greece, especially in older populations, still appears to be increasing, even in the era of e-prescriptions.

Pharmacist’s age affect information provided for pharmacy clients about generic substitution

Introduction. According to WHO, increase in usage of generic drugs may be one of the ways to reduce costs of healthcare systems around the world. However, according to scientific data, physicians and pharmacists doubt in their effectiveness – the reason for that is not well known. Due to this fact an evidence of factors affecting their opinion is being searched for. Aim. The aim of this study was to assess whether correlation exist between the age of pharmacist and the way information about generic drugs is provided.Material and Methods. This was a questionnaire-based study. Especially prepared questionnaire was made available to pharmacists of Lodzkie province. Survey was conducted in Lodz (81.8%) and other towns of lodzkie province.Results. One hundred and forty eight pharmacists working in Lodzkie province have answered the questionnaire (84.5% women and 13.5% men, aged 23–59, working mainly in private pharmacies – 89.1%). Most of pharmacists (47; 31.8%) younger than 35 years provided information about generic drugs, after being asked about it. Most of pharmacists older than 35 years had given information before patients asked them about it. Correlation analysis revealed that strong statistically significant correlation between pharmacist’s age and the moment when he provides an information about generic drugs exist (P &lt; 0.05).Conclusions. Age of pharmacists affect their commitment to provide information about generic drugs for pharmacy clients.