Dermatitis in community pharmacies: a survey on italian pharmacists’ management and implications on corticophobia

Community pharmacists represent an important resource for the promotion of a safer and more effective self-management of common skin diseases, as well as the provision of educational support on therapies prescribed by clinicians, ultimately improving patients’ adherence. In this study, a semi-structured survey was administered to 154 Italian community pharmacists, in order to acquire information on their counseling activity on dermatological disorders. Collected data provide an overview on the frequency and methodology of counseling offered in Italian community pharmacies, identifying knowledge gaps and misbeliefs. In particular, an overall negative opinion on topical corticosteroid therapy emerged among pharmacists, unveiling a phenomenon previously described as corticophobia. Starting from this observation, we discuss the risks for patients’ adherence, associated with corticophobia among pharmacists. Lastly, we briefly report on the main tools desired by pharmacists to improve their education on dermatology, envisioning their implementation with the aim of a more effective counseling

Developing and piloting a communication assessment tool assessing patient perspectives on communication with pharmacists (CAT-Pharm)

Background: Effective communication strategies in health care help to enhance patient empowerment and improve clinical outcomes. Objective: Adapt the original Communication Assessment (CAT) instrument for the pharmacist profession (CAT-Pharm) and to test its validity and reliability in two different settings. Setting: Five hospital pharmacies in Italy and five community pharmacies in Malta. Method: Pilot study involving a standardized multi-step process adhering to internationally accepted and recommended guidelines. Corrections and adjustments to the translation addressed linguistic factors and cultural components. CAT-Pharm, compared to the original CAT, maintained 10 out of the 14 items: one was slightly modified; three were changed to better fit the pharmacist role; one was added. Main outcome measure: CAT-Pharm development and testing its practicality to Assess patient perceptions of pharmacists’ interpersonal and communication skills. Results CAT-Pharm was tested on 97 patients in the Italian setting and 150 patients in the Maltese setting to assess the practicality of the tool and its usefulness in investigating gaps and priorities for improving pharmacist-patient communication. Results: Show reliability and internal validity of the CAT-Pharm tool. The analysis of patient perceptions of communication with the pharmacist in Italy indicated differences from that in Malta. The different settings provided insight into the utility of CAT-Pharm. Conclusion: This study provided a valid and reliable tool that could be applied to assess patient perception of the pharmacist's communication abilities

Medicinali equivalenti in Italia: le ragioni della diffidenza di medici e farmacisti = Equivalent medicinal products in Italy: the reasons for the prudence of physicians and pharmacists

Despite the regulatory framework favourable to the use of equivalent medicines in Italy, it remains below the European average. Although the causes are not fully clarified, several factors can concur to the patient reluctance to take generic medicines. In this context, the influence of health professionals (e.g., physicians, pharmacists) could play an important role. The aim of this work is to investigate the reasons behind the reticence of doctors and pharmacists to prescribe/ recommend equivalent medicines by means of a survey sent to 308 health professionals. The results confirmed a lack of confidence in 43% of the interviewees. Based on such results, another survey was conducted on the same sub-group of health professionals to better identify the causes of their reluctance. Among the main causes of distrust towards equivalent medicines remains the erroneous belief that the quality, safety and efficacy profile is not comparable with the originator. Physicians and pharmacists were particularly sceptics towards the equivalent drugs of the therapeutic classes most frequently used to treat chronic diseases (e.g., hypertension, arrhythmias, cardiopathies, diabetes mellitus). Such results highlighted that there is room for improving the preparation of the health professionals towards a better patient education about equivalent medicines. On the other side, the results highlighted the caution of both physicians and pharmacists with respect to uncontrolled switching of medicines and their propensity to promote a linear therapeutic choice so that the patient takes the same medicine throughout the therapy

Community Pharmacist's Role in Detecting Low Back Pain, and Patient Attitudes-A Cross-Sectional Observational Study in Italian Community Pharmacies

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most frequent diseases for which patients seek advice in a community pharmacy. The study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of the administration by community pharmacists of questionnaires to assess the LBP intensity and disability degree in patients entering community pharmacies and the attitudes they have toward pain management by pharmacological and non-pharmacological strategies. Methods: An explorative, cross-sectional, observational, and quantitative study was performed. Twelve Italian community pharmacists were asked to submit a questionnaire on LBP to patients visiting their pharmacies. The questionnaire included a pain intensity scale, and two validated tools: the Roland and Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ) and the Start Back Screening Tool (SBST) to determine the degree and risk of patient disability, respectively. Results: 872 patients filled out the questionnaires in 6 months. No statistical dierences between genders (p > 0.30) were recorded for pain intensity (Female: median score 6, IQR 4\u20137; Male: median scores 5, IQR 4\u20137; p > 0.30) and disability associated with LBP (RMDQ high-disability level: Females, 14.7%, Males, 15.0%; p > 0.90). Most of the patients (69%) reported a low degree of disability, but the risk of disability was medium and high in 36% and 18% of them, respectively (p < 0.05). About 14% of patients declare to never seek for physician\u2019s advice despite their medium-high degree of disability. Conclusion: The study demonstrated the feasibility of validated tools for assessing the degree and risk of disability in LBP patients administrable in community pharmacies. Moreover, the community pharmacy resulted in an important care portal for patients suering from moderate LBP and for intercepting patients who suered from severe LBP but had never reported their problem to their physician