The use of MDS and HCA enabled pharmacists to reveal their roles which reflect on country of practice and cultural differences when improving patients adherence to asthma medication

Abstract

Pharmacists are health care professionals who have a lot more to offer to the public rather than just selling pills. Pharmacists live a dichotomy role: health care consultants versus shop keepers. The aim of this research was to assess how pharmacists intervene improving patient adherence to asthma medication and to see how pharmacists perceived themselves. The research was conducted by means of a multiple choice questionnaire that was completed by 551 pharmacists. The replies were analysed using Ordinal Multidimensional Scaling and Cluster Analysis, with the routine PROXSCAL. Pharmacists revealed their roles in terms of four dimensions: a community health orientation, theoretical-applied drug orientation, the degree of involvement with the patient and the role of the pharmacist as a consultant. These dimensions have different salience in each one of the countries