Evaluation of Medicine Abuse Trends in Community Pharmacies: The Medicine Abuse Observatory (MAO) in a Region of Southern Europe.

The misuse of medicines is a global public health concern that needs to be taken into consideration and requires actions across all government sectors and society. The aim of this study is to identify trends of drug abuse in Catalonia, a region of Spain located in the South of Europe. For this purpose, a questionnaire-based detection tool was created and implemented in 60 community pharmacies. Out of 548 questionnaires (98.4%), 64.2% of participants were men and the highest age proportion was 25-35 years (31.4%). Potential drug abuse was the highest in urban pharmacies (84.9%). The main drug class involved were benzodiazepines (31.8%), codeine (19.3%), tramadol (7.5%), methylphenidate (5.8%), gabapentinoids (5.8%), cycloplegic drops (4.4%), z-drugs (2.6%), piracetam (2.2%), dextromethorphan (1.6%) and clomethiazole (1.1%). The majority of drugs were requested without prescription (58.6%) and through probably forged prescriptions (23.7%). Slightly less than half (49.8%) of the patients request frequently to the pharmacist, especially in rural and mountain pharmacies (73.3% and 88.5%, respectively). A small proportion (10.8%) were requested with intimidation. Pharmacists only supplied in 21.7% of the cases. This study has demonstrated the suitability of the new detection system, being a useful approach to replicate in other locations with similar needs.

Cribado oportunista del pulso irregular para la detección de fibrilación auricular asintomática en farmacias comunitarias de cataluña. proyecto: Pren-Te El Pols / Opportunistic screening of irregular pulse to detect asymptomatic atrial fibrillation in community pharmacies: TAKE YOUR PULSE PROJECT

Objetivo: Cribado oportunista de pulso irregular desde las farmacias comunitarias en pacientes mayores de 60 años como indicador de fibrilación auricular asintomática y evaluación de la idoneidad del proceso en cuanto a su factibilidad e implementación. Material y métodos: Estudio observacional descriptivo transversal basado en la toma de pulso radial a pacientes asintomáticos. Profesionales sanitarios de un total de 240 farmacias comunitarias voluntarias y de 105 centros de salud realizaron la formación necesaria para adherirse a la campaña ‘Pren-te el pols’ de 40 días de duración. Los farmacéuticos comunitarios reclutaron a 4.729 sujetos y 666 fueron excluidos. Finalmente se cribaron 4.063 sujetos mayores de 60 años. Se registraron las diferentes variables en una plataforma online creada para el proyecto en la que se accedía mediante un usuario y contraseña. Además, se evaluó la idoneidad del proceso mediante una encuesta autoadministrada a los farmacéuticos participantes. Resultados: El 5,9% de los sujetos cribados presentaron pulso irregular, siendo la proporción de varones estadísticamente significativa respecto a la de mujeres. La media del grado de satisfacción de los farmacéuticos fue de 8,07/10. Conclusiones: El cribado de pulso irregular para la detección de fibrilación auricular asintomática en farmacias comunitarias presenta un alto grado de factibilidad para su incorporación sistemática en grupos de pacientes susceptibles. Además, incorpora la accesibilidad de la determinación al permitir el cribado de muestras amplias en periodos cortos de tiempo. No obstante, aspectos de gestión compartida, trabajando coordinadamente con los equipos de atención primaria, devienen imprescindibles para evaluar de manera fehaciente su efectividad real en el aumento de la tasa de diagnósticos de ciertas patologías prevalentes

Background: Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia. It is associated with a high morbidity and mortality. It increases fivefold the probability of suffering an ischemic stroke, which is the most serious and incapacitating one. Its early diagnosis and treatment improve its clinical outcome. Objective: This study aims to describe the proportion of irregular pulses found from community pharmacies in patients over 60 years as an indicator of asymptomatic atrial fibrillation and it also evaluates the suitability of the process in terms of its feasibility and implementation. Methods: It was conducted an observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study. It was based on taking the radial pulse (RP) of asymptomatic patients. For a period of 40 days, healthcare professionals from 240 community pharmacists and 105 health centres attended the training and joined the ‘Take your pulse’ campaign. Community pharmacies recruited 4,729 subjects, 666 were excluded. Finally, 4,063 subjects over 60 years were screened. It was created an online platform, which was accessed by validating a user code and password, to record the different variables. In addition, the suitability of the process was evaluated through a self-administered survey of participating pharmacists. The suitability of the organisational model was evaluated using a validated self-report questionnaire completed by the participating pharmacists. Results: An irregular pulse was found in 5.9 % of the subjects among whom the percentage of males was statistically significant. The average level of pharmacists satisfaction was 8.07/10. Conclusion: Irregular pulse screening to detect asymptomatic atrial fibrillation in community pharmacies has a high degree of feasibility to be incorporated systematically into groups of susceptible patients. In addition, it incorporates the accessibility of the determination by allowing the screening of large samples in short periods of time. However, some aspects related to sharing management and working in coordination with Primary Care teams become essential to measure reliably its real effectiveness in the diagnostic rate rise of certain prevalent diseases

[Coordination between pharmaceutical services for integrated pharmacotherapy: the case of Catalonia]. / Coordinación entre servicios farmacéuticos para una farmacoterapia integrada: el caso de Cataluña.

Pharmaceutical policies have been considered strategies to contribute to the guarantee of care coordination and clinical integration. This study sought to describe the pharmaceutical services developed at different levels of care in the health network in Catalonia, as well as to identify and analyze the mechanisms and instruments that act as facilitators and/or barriers to the coordination of pharmacotherapy. This is a descriptive study of 12 cases of hospital pharmacy services, primary care and community pharmacies. Advances related to the perception, formalization and clinical and assistance coordination of the pharmaceutical services were identified. However, weaknesses and potential improvements in coordination were observed. The conclusion drawn was that the different tools and instruments implemented appear to facilitate a greater possibility of integration between pharmaceutical services and the latter with the health services network to contribute to integrated pharmacotherapy.

Coordinación entre servicios farmacéuticos para una farmacoterapia integrada: el caso de Cataluña / Coordination between pharmaceutical services for integrated pharmacotherapy: the case of Catalonia

Resumen Las políticas farmacéuticas han sido consideradas como estratégicas para contribuir con la garantía de la coordinación asistencial y la integración clínica. El presente estudio tiene como objetivo describir los servicios farmacéuticos desarrollados en diferentes niveles asistenciales en la red de salud de Cataluña, así como identificar y analizar los mecanismos e instrumentos que actúan como facilitadores y/o barreras para la coordinación de la farmacoterapia. Se trata de un estudio descriptivo de 12 casos de los servicios farmacéuticos hospitalarios, atención primaria y oficinas de farmacia comunitarias. Se identifica avances que relacionan la percepción, formalización y la coordinación asistencial y clínica de los servicios farmacéuticos. Sin embargo, se identifican también fragilidades y situaciones mejorables en cuanto a la coordinación. Se concluyó que las diferentes herramientas e instrumentos implantados, parece facilitar una mayor posibilidad de integración entre servicios farmacéuticos y de éstos con la red de salud para contribuir con una farmacoterapia integrada.

Abstract Pharmaceutical policies have been considered strategies to contribute to the guarantee of care coordination and clinical integration. This study sought to describe the pharmaceutical services developed at different levels of care in the health network in Catalonia, as well as to identify and analyze the mechanisms and instruments that act as facilitators and/or barriers to the coordination of pharmacotherapy. This is a descriptive study of 12 cases of hospital pharmacy services, primary care and community pharmacies. Advances related to the perception, formalization and clinical and assistance coordination of the pharmaceutical services were identified. However, weaknesses and potential improvements in coordination were observed. The conclusion drawn was that the different tools and instruments implemented appear to facilitate a greater possibility of integration between pharmaceutical services and the latter with the health services network to contribute to integrated pharmacotherapy.

Knowledge of and Attitudes to Influenza Vaccination among Community Pharmacists in Catalonia (Spain). 2013-2014 Season: A Cross Sectional Study.

Annual recommendations on influenza seasonal vaccination include community pharmacists, who have low vaccination coverage. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between influenza vaccination in community pharmacists and their knowledge of and attitudes to vaccination. An online cross-sectional survey of community pharmacists in Catalonia, Spain, was conducted between September and November 2014. Sociodemographic, professional and clinical variables, the history of influenza vaccination and knowledge of and attitudes to influenza and seasonal influenza vaccination were collected. The survey response rate was 7.33% (506 out of 6906); responses from 463 community pharmacists were included in the final analyses. Analyses were performed using multivariable logistic regression models and stepwise backward selection method for variable selection. The influenza vaccination coverage in season 2013-2014 was 25.1%. There was an association between vaccination and correct knowledge of the virus responsible for epidemics (adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) = 1.74; 95% CI 1.03-2.95), recommending vaccination in the postpartum (aOR = 3.63; 95% CI 2.01-6.55) and concern about infecting their clients (aOR = 5.27; 95% CI 1.88-14.76). In conclusion, community pharmacists have a very low influenza vaccination coverage, are not very willing to recommend vaccination to all their customers but they are concerned about infecting their clients.

Cribado de VIH/sida en las farmacias comunitarias / HIV/AIDS screening in community pharmacies

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