Strategies enhancing the public health role of community pharmacists in the UK

Introduction A number of UK studies have investigated the role of pharmacists in public health (Blenkinsopp, et al. 2002; Anderson and Blenkinsopp 2003; Agomo 2012a). However, many of these studies have also identified barriers in this public health role (Agomo 2012a; Agomo and Ogunleye 2014). My project aimed to identify strategies, which could enhance the public health role of community pharmacists in the UK. Method My project used a mixed methods approach, involving a content analysis of the UK undergraduate pharmacy curriculum, a descriptive survey of UK community pharmacists and interviews with healthcare practitioners to investigate strategies enhancing the public health role of community pharmacists in the UK. Results The majority of my survey respondents indicated that there was a need for pharmacists to work closely with other healthcare practitioners [93.1%, C.I. ±5.32]; pharmacy students to train with other healthcare students [81.4%, C.I. ±8.21]; students and pharmacists to be provided with advanced experience in public health [86.2%, C.I. ±7.24 and 89.8%, C.I. ±6.32 respectively]; as well as increasing the public health content of the undergraduate pharmacy curriculum [64.8%, C.I. ±9.97]. Respondents from Cardiff were more likely to participate in local authority-run schemes than other respondents (p < .001; η2 = .296). Male respondents were more likely to agree that 'insufficient funding from the government’ was a barrier to the public health role of community pharmacists [p = .011; ρ = -.269]. The findings of my interviews confirmed several aspects of my survey findings, particularly as regards accessibility, encouraging collaboration between pharmacists and other healthcare professionals, and tackling a number of barriers, such as the lack of awareness of the public health skills of pharmacists. There were some indications from my content analysis that the teaching of macro-level public health activities (such as epidemiology, assessment, pharmacovigilance, policy development and assurance at the population-based level) in most UK pharmacy schools was either minimal or lacking. Conclusion There is a need to enhance the public health role of community pharmacists in the UK. This will help make public health services more accessible to the public, reduce healthcare costs and pressures on other healthcare professionals, as well as helping to elevate the image of community pharmacists

Magnetic Field Treated Water Influence on Structural Concrete Elements: Environmental Issues of Concrete

The impact of magnetized water on the strength properties of concrete calls for a holistic appraisal of its effect on the environment of production and use. In this study, the influence of the Magnetic Field Treated Water (MFTW) on the strength of concrete produced under various environments is considered. The work considered three environments of use of magnetized water in concrete with respect to partial replacement of fine aggregate with waste glass; quality of curing medium on mechanical properties of concrete and effect on the mechanical properties of self-compacting concrete. The three scenarios presented involved preparing and testing concrete cubes made with magnetized water, cement, fine (sand and glass) and coarse (granite) aggregates at various levels of combination and environment of curing. The concrete cubes were cured for 7, 14, 28, and 56 days and the strength and other parameters, such as slump and workability, were compared with conventional concrete in normal environment. It was observed that concrete under self-compacting concrete made with MFTW had a 9.1% increase in compressive strength than normal; for concrete made with clay brick powder and MFTW, both the workability and compressive strength was higher than normal. The magnetized water in concrete with waste glass as partial replacement had higher slump value and 24% increase in compressive strength than conventional concrete. MFTW therefore improves strength development of concrete

Impact of a Summer Nutrition and Physical Activity Intervention to Attenuate Obesity in Urban African-American Youth

Improved eating behaviors and daily participation in physical activity such as swimming might abate the likelihood of African American youth becoming obese. Yet many African American youth neither consume the recommended daily servings of nutritious foods nor know how to swim. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of a culturally tailored multicomponent summer intervention to reduce obesity and unintentional drownings among underserved African American youth. Children (n = 145) participated in a three-hour, community-based intervention for four weeks. Measures of children’s attitudes perceived behavioral control, and subjective norms toward swimming, nutrition, and physical fitness were taken at baseline and 4 weeks later (n = 47). The only post-intervention significant finding indicated an improvement in children’s skillfulness in floating on their back without help. The limited changes in this multi-component program suggested that such interventions need to be longer in duration, intensity, and be required to reduce attrition

Positioning pharmacists’ roles in primary health care: a discourse analysis of the compensation plan in Alberta, Canada

Abstract Background A comprehensive Compensation Plan for pharmacy services delivered by community pharmacists was implemented in Alberta, Canada in July 2012. Services covered by the Compensation Plan include care planning services, prescribing services such as adapting prescriptions, and administering a drug or publicly-funded vaccine by injection. Understanding how the Compensation Plan was framed and communicated provides insight into the roles of pharmacists and the potential influence of language on the implementation of services covered by the Compensation Plan by Albertan pharmacists. The objective of this study is to examine the positioning of pharmacists’ roles in documents used to communicate the Compensation Plan to Albertan pharmacists and other audiences. Methods Publicly available documents related to the Compensation Plan, such as news releases or reports, published between January 2012 and December 2015 were obtained from websites such as the Government of Alberta, Alberta Blue Cross, the Alberta College of Pharmacists, the Alberta Pharmacists’ Association, and the Blueprint for Pharmacy. Searches of the Canadian Newsstand database and Google identified additional documents. Discourse analysis was performed using social positioning theory to explore how pharmacists’ roles were constructed in communications about the Compensation Plan. Results In total, 65 publicly available documents were included in the analysis. The Compensation Plan was put forward as a framework for payment for professional services and formal legitimization of pharmacists’ changing professional roles. The discourse associated with the Compensation Plan positioned pharmacists’ roles as: (1) expanding to include services such as medication management for chronic diseases, (2) contributing to primary health care by providing access to services such as prescription renewals and immunizations, and (3) collaborating with other health care team members. Pharmacists’ changing roles were positioned in alignment with the aims of primary health care. Conclusions Social positioning theory provides a useful lens to examine the dynamic and evolving roles of pharmacists. This study provides insight into how communications regarding the Compensation Plan in Alberta, Canada positioned pharmacists’ changing roles in the broader context of changes to primary health care delivery. Our findings may be useful for other jurisdictions considering implementation of remunerated clinical services provided by pharmacists

"Bomba hormonal": os riscos da contracepção de emergência na perspectiva dos balconistas de farmácias no Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

Resumo: A pesquisa objetivou conhecer a perspectiva dos balconistas de farmácias sobre a contracepção de emergência na Região Metropolitana do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. O material empírico advém de pesquisa socioantropológica com vinte entrevistas semiestruturadas com balconistas dos sexos feminino (8) e masculino (12). Os entrevistados apresentam concepções negativas sobre a contracepção de emergência, enfatizando os riscos que ela pode provocar à saúde. O medicamento é considerado uma "bomba hormonal" que pode causar danos aos órgãos reprodutivos femininos e outros sistemas do corpo. Eles destacam os riscos do uso "descontrolado" ou "indiscriminado", especialmente por adolescentes e mulheres jovens. Por ser considerado "perigoso" aos corpos femininos, eles atribuem a responsabilidade de orientação e aconselhamento sobre o uso do método aos médicos ginecologistas e não aos farmacêuticos. Discute-se a necessidade de ampliação do debate público sobre contracepção de emergência no Brasil, incluindo-se os farmacêuticos e balconistas de farmácia, além dos profissionais de saúde e educadores

Malaria Treatment in Enugu Urban Nigeria: Physicians\' Compliance with the National Treatment Guidelines

Incorrect use of antimalarial drugs undermines therapeutic effectiveness and promotes emergence and spread of drug-resistant malaria. Strategies for improving compliance require accurate information about current practices. This is a survey of the attitude and practices in the treatment of malaria among doctors practicing in Enugu urban, Nigeria. Standard questionnaire technique was used among 300 doctors practicing in Enugu urban. Chloronquine and sulfadoxine – pyrimethamine were the commonest drugs used for treating uncomplicated malaria, while quinine was the commonest drug used for treating severe malaria. More than 60% of the doctors prescribe intramuscular chloroquine in the dosage of 5ml (~200mg) daily for 3 days for adults and 5mg/kg/daily for 3 days for children. Recommended dosage of quinine was used by 41.8% of the doctors in treating children, and 50% of doctors in treating in treating children, and 50% of doctors in treating adults. Only 40% of the doctors utilized the National guidelines for treatment of malaria. Comparison between duration of practice, or area of intramuscular chloroquine and intravenous quinines showed no significant difference with P values > 0.05. It was concluded that incorrect use of parental antimalarial drugs occurs at all levels and specialties of medical doctors practicing in Enugu. NQJHM Vol. 14 (3&4) 2004: pp. 227-23