ABSTRACT
Phelophepa is a primary health care train visiting different rural areas of South Africa to deliver health care services to patients without access to health care. This paper reports on the experiential learning experience of pharmacy students at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University who worked on Phelophepa during 2008. A qualitative, chronological overview of the Phelophepa learning experience is given. The expectations of students are compared to their reflections afterwards. Outcomes are compared to the objectives set by performing a document analysis of the students' scientific reports. The main theme that emerged was that Phelophepa was a "life-changing experience". Students realized the role of the pharmacist in the health care team. Negative experiences included that students were taken out of their comfort zones and worked long hours. Phelophepa provides a necessary primary health care service to patients and an important educational role in preparing students for the pharmacy needs of rural South Africa.
Subject(s)
Humans , Students, Pharmacy , Patient Care Team , Problem-Based Learning , Delivery of Health Care , South AfricaABSTRACT
Background: Decision analysis (DA) is commonly used to perform economic evaluations of new pharmaceuticals. Using multiples of Malaysia’s per capita 2010 gross domestic product (GDP) as the threshold for economic value as suggested by the World Health Organization (WHO), DA was used to estimate a price per dose for bevacizumab, a drug that provides a 1.4-month survival benefit in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Methods: A decision model was developed to simulate progression-free and overall survival in mCRC patients receiving chemotherapy with and without bevacizumab. Costs for chemotherapy and management of side effects were obtained from public and private hospitals in Malaysia. Utility estimates, measured as quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), were determined by interviewing 24 oncology nurses using the time trade-off technique. The price per dose was then estimated using a target threshold of US$44 400 per QALY gained, which is 3 times the Malaysian per capita GDP. Results: A cost-effective price for bevacizumab could not be determined because the survival benefit provided was insufficient According to the WHO criteria, if the drug was able to improve survival from 1.4 to 3 or 6 months, the price per dose would be $567 and $1258, respectively. Conclusion: The use of decision modelling for estimating drug pricing is a powerful technique to ensure value for money. Such information is of value to drug manufacturers and formulary committees because it facilitates negotiations for value-based pricing in a given jurisdiction.
ABSTRACT
The objective of the study was to determine the treatment and care of a group of primary school children diagnosed with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder [ADHD] in the Nelson Mandela Metropole [NMM] during 2005. The study consisted of two questionnaire surveys and a health education talk. Firstly, a questionnaire was distributed to 876 parents of children attending a primary school in the NMM. A health education talk, based on the results of the survey, was thereafter presented to parents and teachers at the school. A second questionnaire was then distributed to parents whose children had been diagnosed with ADHD. The response rate to the initial survey was 13.0%. Most parents were interested to know more about the causes of ADHD and alternative treatments available. The talk on ADHD was attended by 75 parents and teachers. The male, with an average age of 9.6 [SD=1.9] years. Alternative treatment had been tried by parents to improve symptom control in their children, but the outcomes were unsatisfactory. A need for comprehensive studies on the treatment and care of children diagnosed with ADHD exists in South Africa
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Methylphenidate , Behavior Therapy , Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/diagnosis , ParentsABSTRACT
The primary aim of the study was to determine the motivation for studying pharmacy, as well as the career prospects, of undergraduate pharmacy students at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University [NMMU], South Aflica. A questionnaire was distributed during July 2005 to 214 undergraduate pharmacy students at NMMU. Most of the respondents [65.9%] were female, and 29.4% were not South African citizens. Only 52.3% of respondents indicated that pharmacy was their first choice when making a career decision. Regarding their future, 80.1% of South African students indicated that they plan to practice pharmacy in South Africa. Most students plan to work in hospital pharmacy [31.7%], followed by retail pharmacy [23.4%] and manufacturing pharmacy [21.6%]. Three-quarters of respondents [75.9%] indicated that they were interested in postgraduate studies after completing their B Pharm degree, with only 39.2% of these students considering postgraduate studies at NMMU. Three-quarters of South African respondents plan to work overseas after completion of their studies [most respondents plan to work overseas for a period of one to five years]. More than half of the South African respondents [54.7%] were considering emigrating after completion of their studies. These results have important implications for the future of the pharmacy profession in South Africa