Mapping community pharmacy services in Brazil: a scoping review

Abstract The delivery of clinical pharmacy services has been growing in Brazilian community pharmacies, and it is necessary to have a comprehensive understanding of the topic. This scoping review aimed to provide an overview of Brazilian studies about clinical pharmacy services in community pharmacies. Original research articles, with no restriction of time, study design, or patient's health condition, were included. Searches were conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Scielo, and Lilacs. Two reviewers conducted the screening, full-text reading, and data extraction independently. ROB and ROBINS-I were used for the assessment of quality. Charts and tables were built to summarise the data. Seventy-two articles were included. A diversity of study designs, number of participants, terms used, and outcomes was found. São Paulo and Sergipe States had the highest number of studies (n=10). Pharmacists' interventions were not fully reported in 65% of studies, and most studies presented an unclear risk of bias. Studies were very diverse, impairing the comparisons between the results and hindering their reproducibility. This review suggests using guidelines and checklists for better structuration of pharmacists' interventions as well as reporting results and measuring fidelity in future research.

Perceptions of Pharmacy students about their competences for professional practice in community pharmacy

Abstract Pharmaceutical education should enable the development of competences for community pharmacy practice, which is an important field for the pharmacist workforce. The aim of this study was to evaluate the competences perceived by pharmacy interns from a Brazilian pharmacy school for community pharmacy practice. This study adopted a combined quantitative and qualitative approach. The study cohort included undergraduate students who undertook internships in community pharmacy in the final year of the pharmacy course. Students responded to an 11-item structured questionnaire according to a five-point Likert scale that included perceptions of their competences for community pharmacy practice. Among the 693 possible answers, 605 (87.3%) agreed that the course promoted the development of competences for professional practice in community pharmacy. Less than 70% of students perceived themselves as prepared to respond to symptoms and provide non-prescription medicines. Qualitative analysis of the comments revealed three themes: the need to improve patient information skills, improve practice as a member of a health care team, and improve dispensing according to legal requirements. These findings may support improvements in undergraduate pharmacy programs, such as the inclusion of experiential learning, active learning methods, interprofessional education, and development of clinical skills.

Prevalência de uso e fontes de obtenção de medicamentos anti-hipertensivos no Brasil: análise do inquérito telefônico VIGITEL / Prevalence of use and sources of antihypertensive medicine in Brazil: an analysis of the VIGITEL telephone survey

RESUMO: Objetivo: A prevalência de hipertensão arterial no Brasil e no mundo vem aumentando nas últimas décadas, sendo o uso de medicamentos uma das estratégias utilizadas no controle da doença. O objetivo deste estudo foi estimar a prevalência de uso e identificar as fontes de obtenção de anti-hipertensivos no Brasil, segundo variáveis sociodemográficas, comparando três períodos: 2011, 2014 e 2017. Métodos: Foram utilizados dados de indivíduos com idade ≥20 anos que referiram diagnóstico médico de hipertensão arterial, entrevistados pelo Vigitel nos anos de 2011, 2014 e 2017. Foi estimada a distribuição de frequências e as prevalências de uso de medicamentos, segundo variáveis sociodemográficas, de acordo com as fontes de obtenção, com intervalos de confiança de 95%. As diferenças entre as proporções foram verificadas pelo teste χ2 de Pearson (Rao-Scott), com nível de significância de 5%. Resultados: A prevalência de uso manteve-se estável (80%). Quanto às fontes de obtenção observou-se variação no período, indicando diminuição na obtenção por meio das Unidades de Saúde do SUS (44,2% em 2011; 30,5% em 2017). Esse decréscimo esteve acompanhado do aumento na obtenção pela Farmácia Popular (16,1% em 2011; 29,9% em 2017). A prevalência de obtenção por meio de farmácias privadas/drogarias mostrou estabilidade no período. Conclusões: A prevalência de uso de medicamentos se manteve alta e houve modificação no padrão de utilização segundo fontes de obtenção, evidenciando migração entre Unidades de Saúde do SUS para a Farmácia Popular, sugerindo redução da disponibilidade dos medicamentos pelas farmácias públicas de forma universal e gratuita.

ABSTRACT: Objective: The prevalence of hypertension in Brazil and worldwide has been increasing in recent decades, and drug therapy is one of the strategies used to control this condition. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of use and identify the sources for obtaining antihypertensive drugs in Brazil, according to sociodemographic variables, comparing three periods: 2011, 2014 and 2017. Methods: Data from individuals aged ≥20 years who reported a medical diagnosis of hypertension, interviewed by Vigitel in 2011, 2014 and 2017 were used. Frequency and prevalence of drug use in addition to the sources for obtaining medication were estimated by sociodemographic variables, with 95% confidence intervals. The differences between proportions were verified by Pearson's chi-square test (Rao-Scott), with a significance level of 5%. Results: The prevalence of antihypertensive drug use remained stable (80%). Regarding the sources for obtaining these medicines, there was variation in the period, indicating a decrease in usage through the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS) (44.2% in 2011; 30.5% in 2017). This decrease was accompanied with increase in PFPB (16.1% in 2011; 29.9% in 2017). The prevalence of other sources for obtaining medicine (private pharmacies/drugstores) showed stability in the period. Conclusions: The prevalence of medication use remained high and there was a change in the pattern of use according to sources, demonstrating migration between SUS pharmacies to the PFPB, and suggesting a reduction in the availability of medicines from public pharmacies universally, and for free.

Brazilian generics market change after Farmácia Popular program

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To evaluate trends in the use of generic and non-generic medicines to treat hypertension and diabetes under the Farmácia Popular Program (FP) and its impact on generic medicines sales volume and market share in the Brazilian pharmaceutical market. METHODS This longitudinal, retrospective study used interrupted time series design to analyze changes in monthly sales volume and proportion of medicines sales (market share) for oral antidiabetic and antihypertensive medicines for generic versus non-generic products. Analyses were conducted in a combined dataset that aggregate monthly sales volumes from the Farmácia Popular program and from the QuintilesIMS™ (IQVIA) national market sales data from January 2007 to December 2012. The Farmácia Popular program phases analyzed included: a) 2009 reductions in medicines reference prices (AFP-II) and b) 2011 implementation of free medicines program for hypertension and diabetes, the Saúde não tem preço (SNTP - Health has no price). RESULTS Patterns of use for FP-covered antidiabetic and antihypertensive medicines were similar to their use in the market in general. After one year of the decreases in government subsidies in April 2010, market share of antidiabetic and antihypertensive medicines experienced relative declines of -54.5% and -59.9%, respectively. However, when FP-covered medicines were made free to patients, overall market volume for antidiabetic and antihypertensive generics increased dramatically, with 242.6% and 277.0% relative increases by February 2012, as well as non-generics with relative increase of 209.7% and 279% for antidiabetic and antihypertensive medicines, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Ministry of Health policies on the amount of patient cost sharing and on the choice of medicines on coverage lists have substantial impacts on overall generic sales volume in retail pharmacies.

Purchase of prescription and OTC medicines in Slovakia: factors influencing patients' expectations and satisfaction

ABSTRACT Slovakia is a country where the purchase of OTC (over the counter) medicines outside the pharmacy is not allowed by the government. This study aimed at evaluating patients' satisfaction and acceptance of community pharmacists. Customer's behaviour and expectations influencing the purchase of prescription and OTC medicines were analyzed. A structured questionnaire having 15 multiple-choice questions was used to analyze the descriptive parameters. Data collection lasted from January to February 2014. The sample size consisted of 357 high-school educated individuals under 40 years of age. The survey showed that the prescription and OTC medicines were bought equally. The participants reported a 96.0%, 96.3% and 90.2% satisfaction rate with willingness and approach of the community pharmacist, pharmacy services and provision of drug information respectively. As for the OTC medicines, 89.5% people considered the pharmacist an expert: 88.2% purchased medicines with pharmacist's recommendation, 97.8% needed a professional counselling and 97.2% required a pharmacist's guidance. As for the prescription drugs, only 72.1% considered the pharmacist an expert: 96.3% suggested that physician's prescription was significant and 88.3% considered pharmacist's guidance in the process of selection of prescription medicines nonessential. A comprehensible and respectable conversation was highly expected in regards to both the OTC and prescription medicines.

Acesso a medicamentos para tratamento de condições agudas prescritos a adultos nas regiões Sul e Nordeste do Brasil / Access to medicines prescribed for acute health conditions in adults in South and Northeast Brazil / Acceso a medicamentos prescritos para adultos en el tratamiento de enfermedades graves en las regiones sur y nordeste de Brasil

Estudo transversal no âmbito do Projeto de Expansão e Consolidação Saúde da Família de 2005, com o objetivo de avaliar o acesso total e gratuito a medicamentos prescritos na última consulta médica, para problemas agudos de saúde, e estimar quanto o acesso pode ter melhorado com a inclusão dos medicamentos em políticas e programas vigentes. A amostra incluiu 4.060 adultos residentes na área das unidades básicas de saúde de 41 municípios do Sul e Nordeste do Brasil. O acesso foi maior no Sul (83,2%) do que no Nordeste (71%) e o acesso gratuito foi semelhante (37%), com maior participação do Programa Saúde da Família (PSF) em relação ao modelo tradicional especialmente no Nordeste. Cerca de 60% dos medicamentos prescritos e 50% dos presentes na Relação Nacional de Medicamentos Essenciais (RENAME) foram pagos. Nenhuma variação foi observada na proporção de medicamentos presentes na RENAME vigente e acesso. Contudo, 40% dos medicamentos que foram pagos podem atualmente ser obtidos por meio do Programa Farmácia Popular. Esse programa parece surgir como uma nova forma de garantir o acesso a medicamentos prescritos no sistema de saúde.

This was a cross-sectional study within Brazil's Project for the Expansion and Consolidation of Family Health, 2005, with the objective of universal and free access to the medication prescribed in the last medical appointment for acute health problems and to estimate the degree to which access may have improved with inclusion of the medicines in prevailing policies and programs. The sample included 4,060 adults living in the area of primary health care units in 41 municipalities in South and Northeast Brazil. Access was greater in the South (83.2%) than in the Northeast (71%), and free access was similar (37%), with a greater share by the Family Health Program (FHP) when compared to the traditional model, especially in the Northeast. Some 60% of prescribed medicines and 50% of those on the National List of Essential Medicines (RENAME) were paid for. No variation was observed in the proportion of medicines present on the prevailing RENAME list and access. However, 40% of the medicines that were paid for can currently be obtained through the Popular Pharmacy Program. The latter program appears to emerge as a new way to guarantee access to medicines prescribed in the health system.

Estudio transversal en el ámbito del Proyecto de Expansión y Consolidación Salud de la Familia de 2005, con el objetivo de evaluar el acceso total y gratuito a medicamentos prescritos en la última consulta médica, para problemas graves de salud, y estimar la mejora en su acceso con la inclusión de los mismos en las políticas y programas vigentes. La muestra incluyó a 4.060 adultos, residentes en el área de las unidades básicas de salud de 41 municipios del Sur y Nordeste de Brasil. el acceso fue mayor en el Sur (83,2%) que en el Nordeste (71%) y el acceso gratuito fue semejante (37%) con una mayor participación del Programa Salud de la Familia (PSF), en relación con el modelo tradicional, especialmente en el Nordeste. Cerca de un 60% de los medicamentos prescritos y un 50% de los presentes en la Relación Nacional de Medicamentos Esenciales (RENAME) fueron pagados. No se observó ninguna variación en la proporción de medicamentos presentes en la RENAME vigentes y en acceso. No obstante, un 40% de los medicamentos que fueron pagados pueden ser actualmente obtenidos mediante el Programa Farmacia Popular. Este programa parece surgir como una nueva forma de garantizar el acceso a medicamentos prescritos en el sistema de salud.

User satisfaction with pharmacy services in the Brazilian National STD/AIDS Program: validity and reliability issues / Satisfação de usuários do Programa Nacional de DST/AIDS com a dispensação de medicamentos: aspectos de validade e confiabilidade

The objective of this study is to evaluate the psychometric properties of a user satisfaction scale regarding the Brazilian National STD/AIDS Program, specifically related to dispensing AIDS medicines. The scale was developed and applied in a study covering 10 Brazilian States that evaluated the quality of medicine dispensing. The questionnaire was answered by 1,412 people living with HIV and undergoing antiretroviral therapy. Construct validation involved two stages of factor analysis. The item-total correlation matrix was analyzed, and tests for associations between the target variable, socio-demographic variables, and related constructs were performed. Reliability was studied by means of the sub-scales' internal consistency, estimated by Cronbach's alpha. Five relevant satisfaction dimensions were identified. A moderate level of internal consistency was found for these dimensions, suggesting they were adequate. The results of the association tests agreed with other studies reported in the literature. We conclude that the instrument is appropriate for application in similar populations with adequate psychometric characteristics and serves to measure users' assessments of the pharmaceutical services received and helps to orient improvements in such services.

O objetivo do presente artigo é avaliar propriedades psicométricas de uma escala de satisfação de usuários do Programa Nacional de DST/AIDS com a dispensação de medicamentos. A escala foi desenvolvida e aplicada num estudo abrangendo dez estados brasileiros para avaliar a qualidade da dispensação de medicamentos. O questionário foi respondido por 1.412 pessoas vivendo com HIV em tratamento com anti-retrovirais. Para validação de constructo, foram realizadas duas etapas de análise fatorial. A matriz de correlação item-escala corrigida foi analisada; testes de associação entre a variável de interesse, variáveis sócio-demográficas e constructos relacionados foram realizados. A confiabilidade foi estudada por meio da consistência interna das subescalas, estimada pelo alpha de Cronbach. Cinco dimensões da satisfação foram identificadas. Encontrou-se consistência interna moderada para essas dimensões, sugerindo adequações. Houve concordância entre os resultados dos testes de associação realizados e os achados de outros estudos descritos na literatura. O instrumento mostrou-se apropriado para ser aplicado em populações semelhantes, servindo para aferir a avaliação dos usuários sobre os serviços recebidos e assim orientar melhorias nos serviços avaliados.

Self-monitoring of blood pressure and the role of community pharmacists in Kuwait

To determine the types of devices for self-monitoring of blood pressure available to consumers in Kuwait and the pharmacists' knowledge and level of information provided to consumers when purchasing such devices. It was possible to contact 196 of the 230 eligible pharmacies from five governorates in Kuwait. Ten of these were used to pretest the questionnaire and six declined to participate. Another six did not carry any blood pressure monitoring devices and hence were excluded. Data was then collected from pharmacists at the 174 remaining community pharmacies via face-to-face structured interview of the respondents at their work sites. Of the 174 pharmacists, 173 [99.4%] claimed to offer or provide advice to clients at the time of purchasing devices, 117 [67.1%] of them stating that they did so even if the patients did not ask. Although 147 [84.5%] respondents correctly identified the mercury sphygmomanometer as the most reliable device for measuring blood pressure, less than half [86,49.4%] claimed to know how to check the accuracy of the devices they sold. Only 25 [14.4%] pharmacists could actually identify the correct procedure for checking the accuracy of the devices and only 25 [14.4%] pharmacists could correctly identify cutoff points for systolic and diastolic blood pressure delineating clinical hypertension. Only 1 pharmacist could correctly name a reference source for blood pressure measurement. There is a need for improvement of community pharmacists' competence in supporting patients and in providing them with information regarding devices for measuring blood pressure in Kuwait

Factors associated with carriage of penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae among Vietnamese children: a rural-urban divide.

This study examined the relationship between antimicrobial resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae and patterns of antimicrobial usage and over-the-counter dispensing by pharmacies in urban and rural districts of Vietnam. The antimicrobial susceptibility of S. pneumoniae carried by healthy urban and rural school children was determined. Questionnaires were distributed to parents to describe their healthcare-seeking behaviour. Mock parents presented standardized cases of mild respiratory infection and acute watery diarrhoea to pharmacies in the district surrounding each school. Penicillin resistance was significantly more common in S. pneumoniae carried by urban children compared to rural children as was recent antibiotic usage. Both urban and rural pharmacies showed high rates of dispensing inadequate antimicrobial regimens. The high level of antimicrobial resistance in S. pneumoniae may be related to greater antimicrobial usage. This may result from the much easier access to healthcare providers in urban areas and may suggest that relying solely on education without limiting access to outlets may have only limited impact. The results suggest a greater understanding of the subtleties of healthcare-seeking behaviour, and access to healthcare is needed to help refine and guide rationale suggestions to reduce the continued spread of drug resistance.