Dataset Information

Self-reported and actual involvement of community pharmacists in patient counseling: a cross-sectional and simulated patient study in Gondar, Ethiopia.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Community pharmacists play a crucial role in reducing medication related health problems and improving the patient's overall wellbeing. Evidence suggests that community pharmacist led counseling services result in a better clinical and self-reported outcome, including a higher level of satisfaction and quality of life.

Objective

This study aims to document self-reported and actual levels of community pharmacists' involvement in the provision of patient counseling and barriers that limit their involvement in such services.

Methods

Simulated patient visits and a cross-sectional survey of community pharmacists were employed in Gondar town, Ethiopia between March 15 and May 15, 2016 to observe actual counseling practices and to assess their reported counseling practices respectively. Four different scenarios were developed for the simulated patient visit. A well designed questionnaire and an assessment form were used for the survey and simulated patient visit.

Results

In the cross-sectional survey, 84 pharmacists were approached and 78 agreed to participate (92.8 % response rate). Of the respondents, 96.1% agreed/strongly agreed that patient counseling is important and 69.3% strongly agreed that patient counseling should be a professional duty. The most frequent information provided to patients were dosing schedule of drugs, how to take medication, and drug-food interaction. Majority of community pharmacists either strongly agreed (42.1%) or agreed (51.3%) that patients are comfortable towards their counseling practice. A total of 48 simulated visits were conducted and a medicine was dispensed in all visits. In all four scenarios, dosage schedule (100%), how to take medication (97.6%) and drug-food interaction (69.1%) were the most common type of information provided while what to do when dose is missed (100%), contraindication (95.2%) and the importance of compliance or adherence (92.9%) were the most commonly ignored types of information.

Conclusions

The present study emphasizes the existing gap in self-reported and actual counseling practices by community pharmacist in Gondar town, Ethiopia. Hence, the ministry of health, local health policy makers and other stakeholders should collaborate to design interventions to improve community pharmacists' dispensing and counseling practice.

SUBMITTER: Surur AS

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5386626 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jan-Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Self-reported and actual involvement of community pharmacists in patient counseling: a cross-sectional and simulated patient study in Gondar, Ethiopia.

Surur Abdrrahman S AS Getachew Eyob E Teressa Ebsa E Hailemeskel Bisrat B Getaw Nurahmed S NS Erku Daniel A DA

Pharmacy practice 20170101 1

<h4>Background</h4>Community pharmacists play a crucial role in reducing medication related health problems and improving the patient's overall wellbeing. Evidence suggests that community pharmacist led counseling services result in a better clinical and self-reported outcome, including a higher level of satisfaction and quality of life.<h4>Objective</h4>This study aims to document self-reported and actual levels of community pharmacists' involvement in the provision of patient counseling and ba ...[more]

PMID: 28503225

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Project description:BackgroundFall is a major public health problem and potentially disabling issue. A vast burden of visually impaired live in low-middle income countries particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. Limited ability to detect environmental hazards puts visually impaired at a greater risk of falls and unintentional injuries. Falls among visually impaired is associated with considerable disability, health care cost, loss of independence, and socio-economic consequences. Ethiopia lacked estimates of fall among any vulnerable population, particularly among visually impaired people. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate the prevalence of falls and factors associated among adult people with medically diagnosed visual impairment in Ethiopia.MethodsAn institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted among visually impaired adults who attended the ophthalmology clinic at the University of Gondar comprehensive specialized hospital during the study period. Data were collected by interview method using structured questionnaires, patient medical record reviews, and physical measurements. Bivariate and multivariable binary logistic regression model analysis was used to identify factors associated with falls. Adjusted odds ratio with corresponding 95% confidence intervals were computed to show the strength of association.ResultsA total of 328 adults medically diagnosed with visual impairment participated in the study (97.3% response rate). The age of the participants ranged from 25 to 89 years with a mean age of (56.46 ± 14.2 years). The overall cumulative prevalence of self-reported falls among adults with visual impairment was 26.8% with 95%CI (22.7, 32.4%). The major associated factors of fall identified by multivariate analysis were; visual impairment in both eye (AOR 3.21, 95% CI 1.11, 9.29), fear of falling: some concerned: (AOR, 4.12; 95%CI, 1.44, 11.76), very concerned fear (AOR 10.03; 95% CI, 3.03, 33.21), medications: (AOR 4.63; 95% CI 2.14, 10.00) and self-reported depression: (AOR 3.46; 95% CI 1.11, 10.79).ConclusionThe result of this study indicates a moderate self-reported prevalence of fall among adult people with medically diagnosed visual impairment. Identifying sub-groups at risk of falls among visually impaired, modifiable risk factors, implementation of precaution measures to avoid fall and fall-related injuries, and most importantly measures that would reduce the fear of falls in visually impaired people deserves immediate attention.

Dataset Information

Self-reported and actual involvement of community pharmacists in patient counseling: a cross-sectional and simulated patient study in Gondar, Ethiopia.

Background

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Self-reported and actual involvement of community pharmacists in patient counseling: a cross-sectional and simulated patient study in Gondar, Ethiopia.

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