The role of community pharmacists in natural disasters: Experiences from the 2023 Türkiye earthquakes

IF 3.6 3区医学 Q1 HEALTH CARE SCIENCES & SERVICES

Health Policy Pub Date : 2025-04-28 DOI:10.1016/j.healthpol.2025.105333

Samet Dinçer , Fatma Gündüz , Ezgi Atalay , Galip Usta , Sare Peçe Göktaş

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objective

On 6 February 2023, a series of earthquakes struck the south-eastern region of Türkiye. The aim of this research is to identify the challenges and experiences of community pharmacists who were first-degree victims of the earthquake during and after the earthquake in providing health services.

Methods

Phenomenological design, one of the qualitative research methods, was used in the study. In-depth interviews were conducted with 15 individuals who were both first-degree earthquake victims and community pharmacists.

Results

Qualitative data were analyzed with the MAXQDA 2020 program and three main themes were created. It was determined that community pharmacists did not prepare despite knowing about seismic hazards. Following the disaster, a number of difficulties arose, such as drug safety issues, risky behaviors, and the physical destruction of pharmacies. It was noted that some community pharmacists could not return to normal processes on the date of the research.

Conclusions

Continuing pharmacy services without interruption during disasters is of global importance. Before the disaster, training should be organized for community pharmacists on their roles in disasters, medication management, and providing health care. Community pharmacists should take part in crisis management committees and contribute to drug supply chain planning. The roles of community pharmacists in risk reduction, preparedness, response, and recovery phases should be determined, and strategic actions should be developed for pre- and post-disaster periods.

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社区药师在自然灾害中的作用：来自2023年台湾地震的经验

2023年2月6日，乌克兰东南部地区发生了一系列地震。本研究旨在探讨地震一级受害者社区药师在地震中及震后提供卫生服务时所面临的挑战及经验。方法采用定性研究方法之一的现象学设计。对15名一级地震灾民和社区药师进行了深度访谈。结果使用MAXQDA 2020程序对定性数据进行分析，并创建三个主要主题。结果表明，社区药剂师在了解地震危害的情况下没有做好准备。灾难发生后，出现了许多困难，如药品安全问题、危险行为和药店的物理破坏。有人指出，一些社区药剂师在研究当日无法恢复正常工作。结论灾害期间持续不间断的药学服务具有全球性的重要意义。在灾难发生之前，应该组织培训社区药剂师，让他们了解他们在灾难、药物管理和提供卫生保健方面的作用。社区药师应参与危机管理委员会，参与药品供应链规划。应确定社区药剂师在减少风险、防备、应对和恢复阶段的作用，并应为灾前和灾后时期制定战略行动。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Health Policy 医学-卫生保健

CiteScore

6.40

自引率

6.10%

发文量

157

审稿时长

3-8 weeks

期刊介绍： Health Policy is intended to be a vehicle for the exploration and discussion of health policy and health system issues and is aimed in particular at enhancing communication between health policy and system researchers, legislators, decision-makers and professionals concerned with developing, implementing, and analysing health policy, health systems and health care reforms, primarily in high-income countries outside the U.S.A.