International Journal of Pharmacy Practice最新文献

Objectives: Over and behind-the-counter medicines are among the most used medicines globally, but their availability differs across countries. While they offer convenient access and fill critical gaps in healthcare, their misuse or improper administration poses risks. This study aimed to assess the inclusion patterns of over-the-counter (OTC) and behind-the-counter (BTC) medicines on essential medicines lists worldwide and examine their effect on public health in terms of accessibility and affordability, as well as the common medical conditions they are intended to address. Additionally, the study examines the regulatory frameworks governing these medicines to understand how healthcare systems balance accessibility with safety. Findings are intended to inform policy decisions aimed at optimizing medicine availability while minimizing potential harms.

Methods: This cross-sectional study involved a comparative analysis of essential medicines lists from 158 countries with publicly accessible lists. Main outcomes included the proportion of essential medicines classified as OTC or BTC, variations in their availability across countries, and a comparison with the World Health Organization's model list.

Key findings: Findings suggest significant variability in the availability of both prescription and non-prescription medicines across countries. While some nations prioritize accessibility by classifying a larger proportion of essential medicines as OTC, others implement stricter regulations to mitigate risks of misuse.

Conclusions: This study highlights the critical role of regulatory frameworks in shaping access to medicines and ensuring their safe use. Understanding global patterns in over or behind-the-counter medicine availability and their inclusion in essential medicines lists can inform policy decisions to optimize healthcare delivery.

Objective: Here we describe undergraduate and graduate degrees for pharmacy-related careers, the pharmacy practice model, including community pharmacies, the research culture among pharmacists, and the future focuses for pharmacy education and practice in Italy.

Methods: All available Italian laws posted on the Education Ministry web pages have been taken into account to describe the pharmacy education organization and the career paths afforded by university degrees in pharmacy and related subjects.

Key findings: Four kind of courses are present at the School of Pharmacy in Italy: a 3-year degree for Pharmaceutical Representatives which is obligatory for those wishing to work for large or and small pharmaceutical firms to illustrate new products for doctors, community pharmacists, and hospital pharmacists. A 5-year degree in Pharmacy prepares students to work in a community pharmacy to dispense drugs requiring a prescription and to produce galenic preparations. A 5-year Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technology degree qualifies students to be pharmacists but also provides expertise in the chemical production of drugs. Further, a 4-year graduate degree in Hospital Pharmacy provides the extra training required for pharmacy graduates to work in hospital pharmacies. Regarding research activity at community pharmacy, there are no expectations of research or research-related activity, other than the proper compilation of the obligatory registries. Instead, in the hospital setting, research is organized by hospital pharmacists, often in collaboration with medical doctors.

Conclusions: Different courses at the faculties of pharmacy are available in Italy, and research activity generally only takes place in the hospital context.

Objectives: In Kuwait, asthma is recognised as the most prevalent chronic condition among the population. Asthma management in primary care settings remains characterised by parallel practice, where general practitioners (GPs) and pharmacists work independently with minimal interaction. This study aimed to explore the experiences of GPs and pharmacists to develop a model of interprofessional collaboration for asthma treatment in primary care settings in Kuwait.

Methods: One-to-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with GPs and pharmacists. A convenience sample of GPs and pharmacists was recruited from primary care settings. Five primary care settings in each of the six districts in Kuwait were invited to participate. Participants were recruited either by directly approaching them in person or via email. Audio-recordings were transcribed non-verbatim and transcripts were thematically analysed using NVivo software.

Key findings: Three themes emerged from the analysis, capturing the key patterns and concepts in the participants' interviews. Theme 1: Blurred professional boundaries and hierarchical norms reflected the limited recognition of pharmacists' roles in asthma management beyond medication dispensing. Theme 2: Limited interprofessional trust described how the lack of mutual confidence hindered effective collaboration. Theme 3: Systemic barriers to working together included the absence of private counselling spaces, limited access to patient records, and unstructured communication, all impeding collaboration in asthma care.

Conclusions: Despite being co-located, GPs and pharmacists in Kuwaiti primary care experience limited collaboration. Addressing barriers at the individual, organisational, and systemic levels can support the development of a more integrated and patient-centred approach to asthma care in Kuwait and similar healthcare settings.

Objectives: This scoping review aimed to explore the development, implementation, and evaluation of pharmacy education programmes in sub-Saharan Africa. Objectives include: legislative frameworks governing pharmacy education programmescompetency standards underpinning pharmacy practiceaccreditation standards applied to pharmacy education programmesmodels of pharmacy education and training.

Methods: Records describing pharmacy education programmes originating from the 49 countries within sub-Saharan Africa were considered for inclusion. Database searches of CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE (EBSCO) were undertaken and supplemented by grey literature. Search strings were developed using the JBI's population, concept, context framework. Records were independently screened for inclusion by two reviewers. Findings were presented using narrative summaries, tables, and figures.

Key findings: One hundred thirty-nine eligible records were retrieved. Most records originated from South Africa (n = 30) and Nigeria (n = 23). Thirty-one countries out of 49 (63%) returned zero country-specific results. Types of evidence sources varied across included records, with reviews (n = 25, 18%), cross-sectional studies (n = 22, 16%), and reports (n = 20, 14%) most prominent. Legislative frameworks governing pharmacy education were described by 35 records (25%), competency standards by 49 records (35%), accreditation standards by 44 records (32%), and models of pharmacy education and training by 136 records (98%).

Conclusions: This review provides insight into the development, implementation, and evaluation of pharmacy education across sub-Saharan Africa. Models of pharmacy education and training are well described, particularly for South Africa and Nigeria. However, there are significant information gaps in the literature for 31 countries. Future research should focus on investigating pharmacy education in sub-Saharan Africa not captured by records within this review.

Objectives: Diabetes mellitus has become more prevalent over the years. This chronic disease can lead to complications, such as diabetic foot ulcers. The objective of this study was to explore the barriers and opportunities of community pharmacists and nurses collaborating on managing diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) in community pharmacies in South Africa.

Methods: Two online focus group discussions were conducted in South Africa in 2023 on MS Teams®. Participants included community pharmacists, Primary Care Drug Therapy pharmacists, and academic nursing staff.

Key findings: Two themes emerged. The first theme was challenges in DFU management. Pharmacists reported firstly a need for coordinated, multidisciplinary care; secondly the time-intensive nature of DFU management, with limited capacity in community settings; and thirdly complex referral pathways that impede timely specialist access. The second theme was training for DFU management. Participants highlighted firstly cost-related constraints that hinder optimal care, particularly when specific competencies are lacking; and secondly a clear deficit in accessible, practice-oriented DFU training for community pharmacists. Overall, the findings indicated that structural (team-based), operational (time and referral), and educational (training availability) gaps collectively limit the quality and consistency of DFU care in community pharmacy.

Conclusions: Pharmacist's involvement in offering advice on optimizing antidiabetic therapy to prevent DFUs is vital. The incidence of DFUs can potentially be decreased if community pharmacists and nurses collaborate.

Objectives: The purpose of this methods article is to highlight applications of eye-tracking in pharmacy research. This article synthesizes methodological insights and lessons learned from applying eye-tracking across three distinct pharmacy research contexts. The article discusses key considerations for researchers when planning to apply this novel methodology.

Methods: Case one used eye-tracking to examine how older adults interacted with Senior Safe, a community pharmacy redesign promoting safer over-the-counter medication selection, in a naturalistic environment. Case two used eye-tracking for near-live usability testing, leveraging schematic mapping to examine how healthcare professionals used a novel electronic health record (EHR) functionality during a simulated appointment. Case three used eye-tracking to examine which components of a direct-to-consumer television advertisement were most relevant to older adults and employed dynamic areas of interest.

Key findings: Eye-tracking is a feasible methodological opportunity to further pharmacy research by delving into subconscious cognitive processes that dictate how medical professionals and patients make medication-related decisions. Through understanding how medication-related decisions are occurring, whether through an EHR or in the pharmacy, researchers can identify areas of a cognitive workflow to intervene and reduce the occurrence of adverse medication events.

Conclusions: Eye-tracking provides a systematic approach for assessing how individuals interact with their environment when engaging in pharmacy-related cognitive processes. Eye-tracking can be successfully applied to pharmacy research to provide insight into healthcare professionals' and patients' cognitive thinking and decision-making.

Objectives: Pharmacists play a pivotal role in promoting responsible self-medication by offering guidance to consumers about proper medicine use. Ensuring they are adequately prepared for this role requires an assessment of their knowledge and attitudes. This study aimed to evaluate community pharmacists' knowledge and attitudes toward self-medication practices and their role in promoting responsible self-medication among consumers.

Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted among community pharmacists in Delhi, India, during 2023-2024. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics summarized demographic characteristics of respondents. Knowledge and attitude scores were calculated based on Bloom's cut-off criteria. The Kruskal-Wallis H test evaluated the influence of demographics on knowledge and attitude scores. Spearman's rank correlation was used to assess the relationship between knowledge and attitude scores.

Key findings: A total of 450 questionnaires were distributed, and 310 pharmacists completed the survey, yielding a response rate of 69%. Of those surveyed, 65% demonstrated good knowledge of self-medication, while 71% exhibited a favorable attitude toward promoting responsible self-medication practices. A positive correlation (ρ = 0.310**) between pharmacists' knowledge and attitudes was observed. The Kruskal-Wallis H test revealed that higher education and more experience significantly influence pharmacists' knowledge and attitudes, while customer volume also affect specific aspects of their attitudes.

Conclusions: This study underscores the vital role of pharmacists in promoting responsible self-medication and shows the influence of sociodemographic characteristics on their knowledge and attitudes toward self-medication. Our findings underscore the importance of targeted training to ensure pharmacists promote rational medicine use.