Download PHARMACIST INTERVENTIONS IN NON-PRESCRIPTION MEDICINES USE

PHARMACIST INTERVENTIONS IN NON-PRESCRIPTION MEDICINES USE
Sephora Galea, Maurice Zarb Adami, Lilian M. Azzopardi, Anthony Serracino-Inglott
Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
email: [email protected]
DEPARTMENT OF PHARM
ACY
UNIVERSI
TY OF MA
LTA
Department of Pharmacy
University of Malta
INTRODUCTION
RESULTS
Non-prescription medicines (NPMs) are defined as
A response rate of 91% was achieved. The demographics
medications which do not require a prescription for the
of community pharmacists participating were: mean age
medicine to be dispensed. The pharmacist supports the
= 37 years (range 22-74 years), 69% female, 73%
patient in selecting the appropriate product and in
practiced in an independently-owned pharmacy, 54%
ensuring safe and rational use of the medicinal
practiced > 10 years. Pharmacists were most likely to
1
product.
make non-prescription recommendations for vitamins
AIMS
and nutritional supplements (99%), weight reducing aids
 To investigate the factors which influence NPMs
(96%) and smoking cessation aids (91%).
recommendation by community pharmacists.
 To compare products available in different countries.
Pharmacists were asked to rate importance of possible
influencing factors on a 5-point Likert scale with 5 being
the most important. Pharmacists were influenced by:
SETTING
‘positive feedback from patients’ (M=4.42) and ‘scientific
Community pharmacies in the Maltese Islands. (n=217)
evidence’ (M=4.41). Non-influential factors were ‘mark
up of product’ (M=2.75) and ‘product claims’ (M=2.67).
METHOD
Phase 1: Development of Questionnaire
(Figure 1)
A questionnaire developed by Kotecki (2002) was
reviewed and modified. This was then evaluated and
validated by a panel of experts.
The final modified
version was approved by the University Research Ethics
Committee.
Phase 2: Distribution of Questionnaire
The questionnaire was then posted to all (217) managing
community pharmacists in Malta and Gozo.
Phase 3: Analysis of Results
®
SPSS version 20.0 was used to undertake descriptive
statistics thus obtaining means (M) and frequencies (%)
which were developed into cross-tabulations.
Figure 1: Mean values of the level of agreement (5=Strongly agree, while 1=Strongly
disagree) for 18 factors which determine pharmacist recommendation.
Results of the comparison of products from different
countries
Phase 4: Comparison of products from different
countries
Pharmacists in the United Kingdom (UK) have a larger selection of NPMs for vitamins (n=139), dieting agents (n=8)
Eight international regulatory authorities were contacted
to provide a list of NPMs which was then compiled and
®
®
and smoking cessation products (n=94) than Switzerland,
the United States and Malta.
analysed using Microsoft Excel 2007.
CONCLUSION
Pharmacists were very much involved in the selection of non-prescription medicines relating to the patient diet,
nutritional well-being and smoking habits. Pharmacists in the UK may choose from a broader selection of nonprescription products to recommend than in other countries thus giving them more opportunities to give advice on the
use of a product which is better adapted for the patient.
It was interesting to note that the pharmacists considered the patients’ positive feedback after use of the product and
scientific evidence to be the most relevant factors when recommending a non-prescription product. Thus the influential
factors for the choice of the product were based on scientific evidence and previous experience.
Reference(s) 1. Kotecki JE. Factors Related to Pharmacists’ Over-the-Counter Recommendations. J Community Health. 2002 Aug; 27(4): 291-306.