Professor, Faculty of Pharmacy, AIMST Universiti, 08100 Bidong, Kedah, Malaysia
Abstract
This study was carried out to assess the prevalence of self-medication practice among Malaysian consumers who visit to community pharmacies. The data was collected using structured questionnaires which were randomly distributed to 500 consumers who visited to 10 conveniently selected community pharmacies in Sungai Petani, Kedah between August to October 2007. Out of the 500 questionnaire distributed, 105 responses were received for a response rate of 21.0%. Approximately 45% of the respondents have practiced self-medication in the preceding six months. The respondents mainly practiced self-medication for fever (35.2%), colds and flu (35.2%) and cough (31.4%). The most popular classes of medicines used by the consumers were analgesic/NSAIDs (32.4%), cold and flu medicines (23.8%) and antacids (18.1%). Only 27.6% of respondents were confident in self-managing medications or dietary supplements. The consumers mostly agreed that more advice on medications should be given by pharmacist (75.2%) and pharmacist has high level of professionalism on medication (65.7%). The study concluded that the practice of self-medication mostly involved management of minor ailments using non-prescription and over-the-counter medicines.
Abstract
Tablet splitting practices have been shown to reduce the medication cost in many countries. This study was aimed to evaluate the tablet splitting practices among community pharmacists in Penang, Malaysia. A two-month cross-sectional descriptive survey was carried out in forty randomly chosen community pharmacies in Penang. The pharmacists were required to document all their tablet splitting recommendations during the study period. The data collected includes the appropriateness of the tablet splitting recommendations by pharmacists; the extent of communication between pharmacists and physicians when recommending tablet splitting; the physicians‟ and patients‟ acceptance towards the tablet splitting; and the documentation of cost-saving achieved from the tablet splitting. The result showed that the tablet splitting was recommended by 31.0% of the pharmacists who receives prescriptions eligible for this practice. Tablets of patent- protected innovator brands were more likely to be recommended for splitting. Majority (92.9%) of the splitting recommendations were appropriate except two cases which involve unscored combination tablet. The pharmacists requested consent from the physicians for 42.9% of the splitting recommendations and majority (91.7%) of the requests were accepted. Meanwhile, the patients‟ acceptance rate for splitting recommendation was 82.1%. Through acceptance of tablet-splitting, the patients‟ monthly expenses on drugs reduced by 36.5% and this correspond to a monthly saving of RM39.05 (US$10.30, US$1.00 = RM 3.80) per patient. The study concluded that the tablet splitting is not a common practice among the community pharmacists, however both the physicians and patients highly accept pharmacists‟ suggestion on splitting. The findings also revealed that tablet splitting can be used as a cost-containment measure for patient as well.
Abstract
This study was carried out to determine the extent to which demographic characteristic and disease variables are significantly associated with herbal use. This study was a cross sectional survey conducted by structured interview using a validated questionnaire. The subjects were selected using a convenience sampling of 250 patients attending medical wards in Penang Hospital. Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed to examine the predictors of herbal use. The result found 42.4% of participants (n=106) used herbal medicines, with more than one third used herbs and conventional treatments concomitantly (67.9%). A total of 76 patients (30.4%) used herbal medicines in the past 12 months, and 37 (14.8%) patients had ever been used herbs. Multiple stepwise selection logistic regression modelling identified two significant determinants (P<0.05) of herbal use. These were demographic factor, education attainment and disease variable, kidney problem. Study findings indicate that patients with higher education attainment are more likely to use herbal medicines. In contrast, those who suffer from kidney problems are associated with more than three times decreased odds.
Abstract
A cross-sectional study was conducted among pharmacy students to determine factors influencing their choice of work place and to evaluate whether a one-year hospital pre-registration training programme had any effect on these choices. Questionnaires were distributed to graduating students at the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia. The questionnaires were again sent to the same group of students by post at the end of their pre-registration training year. The response rate during the follow-up stage was 46%. Results indicated that students in the survey were more interested in independent and chain community pharmacies compared to other practice settings. Students’ choices of first place of practice appeared to be influenced by both intrinsic and extrinsic job factors. Our findings did not show major changes in students’ preferences for practice sites before and after the hospital pre-registration period. This information is expected to be useful for pharmacy employers.