ABSTRACT
This study intended to assess the nature and extent of patient counseling practice in a
section of Gauteng’s community pharmacies and determine what factors have negative
impact on the practice. Designed as a random cross-sectional survey, questionnaire-based
engaging 60 pharmacists and 179 customers, it provided a “snapshot” of counseling
services in the Johannesburg and Pretoria regions between January 2006 and September
2006. The outcomes measures assessed included the percentage of the actual practicing,
the form of communication, number of items covered, and number of counseling steps
accomplished.
The findings showed about 74% of patients received at least one drug informational item
as verbal advice, and an average of 62% of patients received six drug informational items
of advice. Supplementary written information was given to 56% of patients some of the
time when necessary or by request. The items of advice achieved at high rate were all
about drug-instructions for use (>70%). Information about drug action, side effects and
non-pharmacological advice occurred at low rate (<50). Significant difference (p<0.05)
was observed between the two regions regarding the accomplishment of some items but
no difference was noted referring to global counseling performance. Younger pharmacists
overtook older pharmacists in performing some items (like telling when the medication
begins to work: 53% versus 37%). Differences were also noted between pharmacists and
other categories of dispensers with pharmacists proffering a higher level of quality and
quantity of advice (e.g. counseling points summarized: 59% versus 30%). Workload,
pharmacy type and gender were unrelated to current counseling practice.
In conclusion, participating pharmacists showed good knowledge of the SA Gold
Standard on counseling and satisfactory performed the counseling points. However, some
expressed concern about the difficulty to accomplish some special GPP provisions.
Future studies are advice to investigate the implementation of patient counseling from a
nationwide sample of community pharmacies if the Professional Body regulating
Pharmacy intends mandating counseling.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:wits/oai:wiredspace.wits.ac.za:10539/4897 |
| Date | 28 May 2008 |
| Creators | Mukandabarasa, Monique Rwabuhungu |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 418380 bytes, application/pdf, application/pdf |
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