Document Detail


Pharmacists' counseling protocols for minor ailments: A structure-based analysis.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  22243601     Owner:  NLM     Status:  In-Data-Review    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
BACKGROUND: Self-medication is an important component of health care. To optimize pharmacists' over-the-counter counseling, there are several guidelines and protocols used in practice. In a self-care environment, protocols should comprise items related to patients' autonomy. The structure of self-medication protocols, among other elements, should present steps to facilitate patients' participation.
OBJECTIVE: To analyze structural differences between existing community pharmacy minor ailment protocols, including those related to patient autonomy and empowerment in self-medication conditions.
METHODS: The study design followed a cross-sectional descriptive approach. Self-medication protocols were systematically collected from 3 different professional sources (Pharmaceutical Society [OF], National Pharmacies Association [ANF], and Grupo Holon [GH]). A structural-based analysis, by comparison with the general self-medication OF standard protocol, produced outcome measures such as frequencies of flowchart critical steps, active pharmaceutical substances, dosage forms, and posologies. Simple scores were computed to assess protocols' structural quality, as well as differences between protocols, produced by each professional organization.
RESULTS: Forty-four protocols presented on average 8 counseling steps toward 10 different active substances, 7 dosages forms, and 14 posologic schemes. From a maximum of 30 critical items, 1 protocol scored 24, 7 scored 23, and 5 scored less than 15 items. Significant differences were found between protocols' structural components from different sources, particularly between GHs' protocols compared with those produced by OF and ANF.
CONCLUSIONS: In general, all protocols matched the OF standard for ailment characterization but fell short on steps related to medicine information and selection. Steps for patient participation and agreement were absent, as was pharmacists' expected role of outcomes monitoring. It might be appropriate to redesign self-medication protocols, preferably through a consensus process that includes not only professionals' but also patients' preferences, starting from the prevalent conditions in Portuguese pharmacy practice.
Authors:
Afonso M Cavaco; Pedro F Pereira
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Research in social & administrative pharmacy : RSAP     Volume:  8     ISSN:  1934-8150     ISO Abbreviation:  Res Social Adm Pharm     Publication Date:  2012 Jan 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2012-01-16     Completed Date:  -     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  101231974     Medline TA:  Res Social Adm Pharm     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  87-100     Citation Subset:  IM    
Copyright Information:
Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Affiliation:
Department of Social Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lisbon, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal.
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From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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