Investigation and Analysis of Medication Situation and Need for Pharmaceutical Services of Geriatric Peo-ple from Some Communities in Guangzhou / 中国药房

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE:To explore the ways and methods for pharmacists to participate in community pharmaceutical care, and to provide reference for guaranteeing safe use of drugs in the elderly. METHODS:Questionnaire survey about medication situa-tions and pharmaceutical care demands was conducted among the elderly randomly selected from some communities of Guangzhou Yuexiu District and Liwan District. The investigation data was analyzed statistically. RESULTS:Totally 300 questionnaires were sent out,and 283 were recycled with effective recovery rate of 94.33%. Among respondents,64.66% geriatric people had a high school education or above and 87.99% elderly people enjoyed medical insurance for urban residents;the major health problems of the elderly were chronic diseases like hypertension,osteoporosis,hyperlipidemia,diabetes. 55.48% interviewees preferred to pur-chasing drugs from governmental hospitals and 40.28% interviewees used to purchase drugs from community hospitals;in terms of understanding of drug information,72.08% interviewees tended to consult doctors about drug use but only 12.72% intervieweestended to consult hospital pharmacists about drug use. Interviewees often took various kinds of drugs,there were 72.44%interview-ees taking drugs according to the doctor's advice. 44.88%interviewees accustomed to storing drugs at discretion. 68.20%interview-ees deemed that the responsibilities of the pharmacists were drug dispensing,but only 28.27% interviewees thought that pharma-cists could provide medication guidance and consultation;in terms of community pharmaceutical care,interviewee had much great-er demands to daily care and rational drug use of lectures. CONCLUSION:Geriatric people take many different drugs to treat their diseases in those communities,there are many problems that are not conducive to safe drug use. Those reflected urgent need for community pharmaceutical care,and then higher requirements are put forward for the professional quality of pharmacists.