(Just) Who is the Expert? The Ambiguity of Expertise in Over-the-Counter CAM Purchasing: An Ethnographic Study of UK Community Pharmacies and Health Shops

This survey forms part of a study undertaken to identify and quantify the community pharmacist’s involvement in the use of non-prescription/over-the-counter (OTC) medicine/self-medication in community pharmacies throughout South Africa. Opsomming Hierdie opname vorm deel van ‘n studie wat onderneem word om die gemeenskapsapteker se betrokkenheid in die gebruik van nie-voorskrif/oor-die-toonbank medikasie/ selfmedikasie in gemeenskapsapteke in Suid Afrika te identifiseer en te kwantifiseer. *Please note: This is a reduced version of the abstract. Please refer to PDF for full text.

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Factors Affecting Consumers’ Purchase Decision of Over-The-Counter (OTC) Medicines: Empirical Evidences from Community Pharmacies in Ethiopia

10.7176/jmpb/65-02 ◽

2020 ◽

Keyword(s):

Purchase Decision ◽

Community Pharmacies ◽

Over The Counter ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

Otc Medicines

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Supply of over-the-counter weight-loss products from community pharmacies

International Journal of Pharmacy Practice ◽

10.1211/ijpp.17.06.0003 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 17 (6) ◽

pp. 333-337 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Anna-Maria Andronicou ◽

Janet Krska ◽

Allan Hackett ◽

Jacqueline Richards

Keyword(s):

Weight Loss ◽

Community Pharmacies ◽

Over The Counter

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Over-The-Counter Codeine: Can Community Pharmacy Staff Nudge Customers into Its Safe and Appropriate Use?

Pharmacy ◽

10.3390/pharmacy8040185 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (4) ◽

pp. 185

Author(s):

Sapana Mody ◽

Charlotte L. Kirkdale ◽

Tracey Thornley ◽

Aimi Dickinson ◽

Anthony J. Avery ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Patient Safety ◽

Pain Relief ◽

Community Pharmacy ◽

Health Concern ◽

Community Pharmacies ◽

Public Health Concern ◽

Appropriate Use ◽

Pharmacy Staff ◽

Over The Counter ◽

Web Based

The misuse of opioids, including codeine which is sold over-the-counter (OTC) in United Kingdom (UK) community pharmacies, is a growing public health concern. An educational Patient Safety Card was developed and piloted to see if it nudged customers into the safe and appropriate use of OTC codeine. Exploratory analysis was conducted by (i) recording quantitative interactions for people requesting OTC codeine in community pharmacies; and (ii) a web-based pharmacy staff survey. Twenty-four pharmacies submitted data on 3993 interactions using the Patient Safety Card. Staff found the majority of interactions (91.3%) to be very or quite easy. Following an interaction using the card, customers known to pharmacy staff as frequent purchasers of OTC codeine were more likely not to purchase a pain relief medicine compared to customers not known to staff (5.5% of known customers did not purchase any pain relief product versus 1.1% for unknown customers (χ2 = 41.73, df = 1, p < 0.001)). These results support both the use of a visual educational intervention to encourage appropriate use of OTC codeine in community pharmacy and the principles behind better self-care.

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Qualitative study exploring the key determinants of information gathering to inform the management of over-the-counter (OTC) consultations in community pharmacies

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2019-029937 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (8) ◽

pp. e029937

Author(s):

Heather Cassie ◽

Eilidh M Duncan ◽

Elizabeth A Gibb ◽

Ailsa Power ◽

Linda Young ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Community Pharmacy ◽

Best Practice ◽

Theoretical Domains Framework ◽

Professional Role ◽

Information Gathering ◽

Community Pharmacies ◽

Safety Skills ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Over The Counter

ObjectivesGathering relevant patient information during over-the-counter (OTC) consultations increases the likelihood of safe, effective and person-centred outcomes. The aim of this study was to explore the key determinants to information gathering during consultations for non-prescription medicine requests in community pharmacies in Scotland.DesignSemi-structured interviews using the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF), with community pharmacy teams across Scotland. Interviews explored participants’ knowledge of current guidance, skills required to elicit information and barriers and facilitators associated with this behaviour. Theory-based content analysis was undertaken using the TDF as an initial coding framework to identify key determinants and map them to salient domains. Salience was determined by prominence or variation in views. Comparative analysis was undertaken by professional role.ResultsThirty interviews were conducted with pharmacists (n=19) and medicine counter assistants (MCAs) (n=11). Eight salient domains were identified: environmental context and resources (privacy), beliefs about consequences (patient safety), skills (communication, decision-making), social influences (patient awareness of pharmacist role), knowledge (awareness and use of standard operating procedures), social professional role and identity (perception of own role), behavioural regulation (training) and intention (to gather information). Similar domains were salient for pharmacists and MCAs; however, different beliefs were associated with different roles. Overarching themes were identified: best practice, health literacy, decision-making and professionalism.ConclusionsMultiple influences and complexities affect the effective management of OTC consultations. While similar factors impact on both pharmacists and MCAs at a patient, professional and environmental level, subtle differences exist in how these influence their management of OTC consultations. This study highlights the importance of tailoring interventions to reflect different roles, functions and responsibilities of community pharmacy personnel.

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Use of smoking cessation products: A survey of patients in community pharmacies

Canadian Pharmacists Journal / Revue des Pharmaciens du Canada ◽

10.1177/1715163517723035 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 150 (5) ◽

pp. 326-333 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Alan Phung ◽

Lauren Luo ◽

Noor Breik ◽

Silvia Alessi-Severini

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Smoking Cessation ◽

Insurance Coverage ◽

Community Pharmacies ◽

Prescription Medications ◽

Over The Counter ◽

Health Care Practitioners ◽

Quit Attempts ◽

Multiple Choice Questionnaire ◽

The City

Objectives: At 17.3%, smoking rates in Manitoba continue to exceed the national average. In this province, a total health care spending of more than $200 million per year has been attributed to smoking. This study examined the use of smoking cessation agents, including nicotine replacement products and prescription medications, in a sample of smokers in the city of Winnipeg. Methods: A simple multiple-choice questionnaire was administered to willing individuals attending 2 community pharmacies in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Data on demographics, smoking habits, previous attempts of smoking cessation and previous and current use of over-the-counter and prescription smoking cessation products were collected anonymously. Results: Of the 2237 individuals who were approached, 586 were smokers (26.2%) and 180 responded to the survey (30.7%); 48.9% were female. A majority of smokers (32.8%) reported smoking 16 to 25 cigarettes per day. More than 90% had smoked for more than 5 years, 27.2% had more than 5 previous quit attempts and 82.1% used smoking cessation products with the intention to quit. Self-motivation (44.4%) and family/friend advice (28.3%) were major reasons for quitting. Impact of health care practitioners’ advice was low (6.4%). More than 80% of respondents reported that they had no insurance coverage for their smoking cessation products. Despite having the highest rate of use, both nicotine gum (33.3%) and patches (24.4%) were reported to have lower rates of perceived efficacy. Electronic cigarette (97.9%) and varenicline (70.6%) had the highest rates of reported effectiveness. Conclusion: Smokers wanting to quit undergo many attempts. Pharmacists should assume a key role in reaching out to smokers.

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