Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy最新文献

{"title":"Prevalence and determinants of unused medicines among households in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis","authors":"Tekletsadik Tekleslassie Alemayehu ,&nbsp;Gebremariam Wulie Geremew ,&nbsp;Eskedar Dires Gebremeskel ,&nbsp;Zemenu Wube Bayleyegn ,&nbsp;Ayelign Eshete Fitgu ,&nbsp;Tefera Minwagaw ,&nbsp;Mulugojjam Jegnie Tagele ,&nbsp;Rahel Belete Abebe ,&nbsp;Tirsit Ketsela Zeleke ,&nbsp;Abaynesh Fentahun Bekalu ,&nbsp;Masho Tigabie Tekle ,&nbsp;Mekonnen Derese Mekete ,&nbsp;Mulugeta Assefa Estifo ,&nbsp;Abebech Tewabe Gelaye ,&nbsp;Tadele Mesfin Demelash ,&nbsp;Fraol Zeleke Desta ,&nbsp;Elsabeth Alemayehu Haile ,&nbsp;Simon Zemenfes Hailu ,&nbsp;Adugna Tadesse Gemeda ,&nbsp;Tesfaye Birhanu Abebe","doi":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100639","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100639","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Unused medicines present significant public health, environmental risks and economic challenges. Understanding their prevalence and determinants is crucial for designing appropriate interventions. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to estimate the pooled prevalence and determinants of unused medicines among households in Ethiopia.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>A comprehensive search was conducted across major databases, including Scopus, Science Direct, Embase, PubMed/MEDLINE, Google Scholar, and Research Gate, to identify relevant studies published up to January 10, 2025. Eligible studies reporting the prevalence and determinants of unused medicines in Ethiopian households were included. Data were extracted via a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and analyzed using STATA version 11.0, applying a random-effects model to estimate the pooled prevalence and account for heterogeneity. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed to explore variations across studies.</div></div><div><h3>Result</h3><div>A total of 12 studies involving 6123 households were included. The pooled prevalence of unused medicines was estimated at 44.34 % (95 % CI: 32.83, 55.84), with substantial heterogeneity among studies (I² = 99.0 %, <em>p</em> value =0.000). Subgroup analyses revealed higher prevalence rates in urban households at 47.8 % compared to rural households at 26.89 % and regional disparities. Antibiotics were the most frequently unused class of medications, accounting for 31.49 % of all unused medicines in households, followed by analgesics at 26.14 %, while antacids constituted 8.7 %. The primary reasons for the accumulation of unused medicines included self-discontinuation upon symptom relief at 34.21 %, while anticipation of future use constitute 20.47 %. Factors such as self-medication with NSAIDs, acquisition of medications without prescriptions, and higher household income were significantly associated with the prevalence of unused medicines among households in Ethiopia.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This systematic review and meta-analysis revealed that unused medicines among households in Ethiopian was prevalent, with significant regional variations. Antibiotics were the most commonly unused medications, followed by analgesics, while cardiovascular medicines and dietary supplements were the least reported. The primary reasons for the accumulation of unused medicines included self-discontinuation upon symptom relief, and anticipation of future use. Key determinants such as self-medication with NSAIDs, acquisition of medications without prescriptions, and higher household income were significantly associated with the prevalence of unused medicines. These findings underscore the need for context specific interventions to address the high prevalence of unused medicines in Ethiopia, particularly in urban settings and regions with higher rates.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":73003,"journal":{"name":"Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 100639"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144781013","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Community pharmacy working conditions: Is stress impacting patient care?","authors":"Goar Alvarez ,&nbsp;Taylor Harris ,&nbsp;Erika Zwachte Fennick ,&nbsp;Leanne Lai ,&nbsp;Jesús Sánchez ,&nbsp;Rawan Alkhamisi","doi":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100641","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100641","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Community pharmacists have expanded their roles beyond traditional medication dispensing to include various clinical services. They play a critical role in reducing medication-related errors and enhancing patient safety. However, their effectiveness is significantly influenced by their work environment and associated challenges.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>This cross-sectional study evaluates the stress levels of community pharmacists in Florida, USA, and examines how stress impacts patient care.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A survey was developed and emailed to 23,016 licensed pharmacists in Florida. Responses were collected from March 9 to April 15, 2022. The primary outcomes measured were workplace stressor frequency in community pharmacies and the relationship between work environment factors and patient care quality. Secondary outcomes assessed differences in average Perceived Stress Scores (PSS) between chain and independent pharmacists and between those in managerial versus non-managerial roles.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Of 361 responses, 257 pharmacists completed the survey. Most (84.8 %) were chain pharmacists, 15.2 % independent. The primary stressor was staffing issues (57.98 %). Additionally, 71.9 % deemed working conditions unsafe, and 78.4 % struggled to provide quality care due to work stress. Chain pharmacists had significantly different PSS scores (22.72) versus independent pharmacists (22.82, <em>p</em> = 0.0034). No difference existed between managerial (25.44) and non-managerial pharmacists (25.11, <em>p</em> = 0.5962). Spearman correlations showed significant negative associations between PSS scores and difficulty providing quality care (ρ = −0.47, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.0001) and unsafe conditions perceptions (ρ = −0.51, p &lt; 0.0001). Patient care measures correlated positively (ρ = 0.71, p &lt; 0.0001).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Stress significantly impacts community pharmacists' ability to provide quality care.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":73003,"journal":{"name":"Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 100641"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144781012","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Can a national storage obligation for medicines prevent shortages? Evidence from the Finnish experience","authors":"Reko Ravela ,&nbsp;Timi Aaltonen ,&nbsp;Marja Airaksinen ,&nbsp;Alan Lyles","doi":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100637","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100637","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Since 1984, Finland has used storage obligations for essential medicines, requiring manufacturers and importers to maintain storage of certain medicines. This study aimed to investigate whether this type of obligatory storage system for human medicines is effective in preventing and mitigating medicine shortages.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This is a retrospective register study, utilizing open data from Finnish, Norwegian, and Swedish national medicines authorities. We compared the proportion and median durations of shortages between medicines with and without storage obligations within Finland, and the proportion of shortages across Finland, Sweden, and Norway.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 1910 shortage notifications met the inclusion criteria for the analysis of shortages within Finland. Medicines not subject to storage obligations experienced between 1.8 and 2.3 times more shortages during the study period compared to those covered by storage obligations. Additionally, the median duration of short-term shortages (lasting less than 21 days) was shorter for medicines that are subject to storage obligations.</div><div>The inter-country analysis included 1230 shortage notifications from Sweden, 1075 from Norway, and 1369 from Finland. In comparison to Finland, shortages of products equivalent to those subject to storage obligations were 2.5 times more common in Sweden, where no storage obligations are in place, and 2.4 times more common in Norway, where storage obligations are more limited.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Our findings suggest that storage obligations for essential human medicines are associated with a lower frequency of shortages. This evidence provides support for other nations considering taking similar policy measures to reduce such shortages.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":73003,"journal":{"name":"Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy","volume":"19 ","pages":"Article 100637"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144723532","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Identification and follow up of cardiovascular disease risk factors among participants at a pharmacy student-led screening program","authors":"Umara Bibi Qureshi ,&nbsp;Dineo Mpanya ,&nbsp;Razeeya Khan ,&nbsp;Muhammed Vally ,&nbsp;Ané Orchard","doi":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100636","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100636","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and associated risk factors like hypertension, type 2 diabetes, dyslipideamia, and obesity underscores the need for proactive screening. Given the insidious progression of these conditions, early detection is paramount. The Screening and Testing Programme for Pharmacy Students (STEPPS) is a pharmacy student-led, work-based learning initiative at the University of the Witwatersrand that provides preventive cardiovascular risk screening to university staff and students.</div></div><div><h3>Aim</h3><div>To identify the occurrence of underlying and uncontrolled risk factors for cardiovascular disease from a convenience sample of participants who attended the STEPPS screening events at the University of the Witwatersrand in year 2022. The study further determined whether the referral of the identified participants led to a diagnosis and intervention.</div></div><div><h3>Methodology</h3><div>A cross-sectional study was conducted in a screening event called STEPPS at the University of the Witwatersrand. A convenience sample of university staff and students aged 18 years and older who voluntarily participated was included. Fourth-year pharmacy students conducted screenings, including blood pressure, blood glucose, cholesterol, and anthropometric measurements. Participants with abnormal results were referred for further care, and follow-up was conducted via telephone interviews several months later. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics in STATA® 18.0.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>There was a self-reported occurrence of hypertension (6.5 %), diabetes (2.09 %), dyslipideamia (2.87 %), and obesity (3.91 %). Elevated readings were observed among 136 (18.25 %) participants for blood pressure, 13 (2.83 %) participants for blood glucose and, 50 (11.36 %) participants for blood cholesterol. Among the CVD-related referrals based on abnormal screening results (33 participants), 75 % complied. Of these, 35 % exhibited significant findings, including newly diagnosed cases (43 %), disease escalation (29 %) and lifestyle modifications (29 %). Among follow-up participants, 16 (80 %) participants reported undergoing interventions post-screening.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The student-led initiative effectively identified the occurrences of undiagnosed and uncontrolled cases at the university with 80 % of referrals leading to a medical intervention.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":73003,"journal":{"name":"Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy","volume":"19 ","pages":"Article 100636"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144722572","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Improved medication adherence and health literacy in parents of children with ADHD: Effects of a targeted educational program","authors":"Nafiseh Valaei Sharif ,&nbsp;Peivand Ghasemzadeh ,&nbsp;Niayesh Mohebbi ,&nbsp;Sogand Ghasemzadeh","doi":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100634","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100634","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Although medication is important for children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), medication adherence is low among parents. One of the key factors affecting medication adherence and disorder management is health literacy.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of an educational program for parents of children with ADHD in improving medication adherence and health literacy.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>An educational program was developed that covered four main topics: general disorder information, treatment, parenting based on emotional needs, and basic health information. A total of 191 parents were screened and assigned 108 eligible participants to either the intervention group (<em>n</em> = 74) or the control group (<em>n</em> = 35). The intervention group received a two-month educational program delivered via messenger application, while the control group received general counseling. Medication adherence and health literacy were measured before and after the intervention. <em>t</em>-test, ANOVA, ANCOVA, and chi-square test were used to compare group differences.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Post-intervention, the intervention group showed significantly higher medication adherence (6.87 ± 1.36) than the control group (5.46 ± 1.45). The intervention group also demonstrated higher health literacy scores (82.34 ± 6.96) than the control group (72.15 ± 6.52). Covariance analysis revealed significant improvements in health literacy (F = 162.73, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.001, eta squared = 0.657) and medication adherence (F = 40.41, p &lt; 0.001, eta squared = 0.322) scores. A significant difference was found in medication adherence improvement based on economic status (<em>p</em> = 0.037) in the intervention group. However, no significant differences in medication adherence and health literacy were observed based on parental gender, education level, or insurance status.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The educational program showed improvement in medication adherence and health literacy among parents of children with ADHD.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":73003,"journal":{"name":"Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy","volume":"19 ","pages":"Article 100634"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144656294","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Streamlining one-dose package-handling process improves operational efficiency when dispensing drugs: A retrospective study","authors":"Takahiro Kato ,&nbsp;Miki Kato ,&nbsp;Kazuyo Nagashiba ,&nbsp;Masayuki Takeuchi ,&nbsp;Masafumi Onishi","doi":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100635","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100635","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Japanese pharmacists aim to improve efficiency and communication by simplifying work processes and developing protocols. While assistants and robots have been shown to improve drug dispensing, reports on the efficiency of pharmacies with automated dispensing systems are limited. This study explores factors affecting pharmacist efficiency in dispensing.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>77Daily reports from our hospital pharmacy (December 1, 2020–November 30, 2021) were retrospectively analyzed. The primary outcome was the mean duration of drug dispensing. Multiple regression analyses identified factors affecting dispensing time. Strategies to address these factors were implemented, and outcomes were evaluated using data from December 1, 2021–November 30, 2022.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Univariate analysis identified that the prescription/pharmacist ratio, number of one-dose package (ODP) prescriptions, and powdered drugs significantly influenced dispensing time. Multivariate analysis confirmed that the prescription/pharmacist ratio (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.001), ODP prescriptions (p &lt; 0.001), and powdered drugs (<em>p</em> = 0.02) were key factors. A higher number of ODP prescriptions generally increased dispensing time. After implementing a new strategy for checking ODP, mean dispensing time decreased from 20.0 ± 4.0 to 18.5 ± 3.6 min (p &lt; 0.001), and the percentage of tasks completed in under 20 min increased from 56.3 % to 73.6 % (p &lt; 0.001). Dispensing times were reduced without changing staffing levels by reallocating tasks.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Optimizing the ODP verification workflow enhances dispensing efficiency without increasing pharmacist workload, highlighting the importance of prioritizing ODP prescriptions and implementing support tools for final checks, while further multicenter studies are needed to confirm these findings across diverse settings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":73003,"journal":{"name":"Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy","volume":"19 ","pages":"Article 100635"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144614678","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Implementing six sigma management to shorten the time of taking medicine from intelligent medicine cabinet in inpatient ward","authors":"Dan Zhao,&nbsp;Jie Wang,&nbsp;Mengting Sun,&nbsp;Tao Wu,&nbsp;Yingxin Peng","doi":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100631","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100631","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Medication errors and delays in drug dispensing are persistent challenges in traditional pharmacy systems. Automated Dispensing Cabinets (ADCs) were introduced at the study hospital in July 2022 to improve medication safety and efficiency. However, the initial implementation phase revealed several issues, including prolonged medication retrieval times, suboptimal cabinet layout, system interface limitations, and inconsistent user operations. These challenges highlighted the need for further system optimization using a structured improvement approach.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aims to implement an inpatient pharmacy management system based on Six Sigma methodology and compare its effectiveness with TPS in terms of medication convenience and error reduction.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Starting in July 2022, an intelligent pharmacy management model was implemented in inpatient wards, centered around ADCs and guided by the Six Sigma methodology. Comprehensive improvements were made to address issues such as baseline medication management inefficiencies and delays in retrieving medications for temporary orders. The study compared various metrics, including the time required for retrieving medications for temporary orders, medication administration time, medication error rates before after one month of implementing the intelligent system and nurses' satisfaction with the intelligent system.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Compared with the pre-implementation phase, the intelligent system significantly reduced the time required for nurses to retrieve medications and execute orders (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). The rates of medication retrieval and administration errors also decreased (P &lt; 0.05). A majority of nurses (86.96 %) reported that the intelligent system improved work efficiency, 92.40 % found it easier to retrieve medications during emergencies, and 97.82 % expressed high satisfaction with the system.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The application of an intelligent inpatient pharmacy management system based on the Six Sigma methodology effectively reduced the time nurses needed to retrieve medications, enhanced overall nurse satisfaction, lowered error rates caused by human factors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":73003,"journal":{"name":"Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy","volume":"19 ","pages":"Article 100631"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144614679","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Multidisciplinary perspective on a pharmacist-led vaccination clinic in a regional cancer care setting: A qualitative study","authors":"Kristoffer Johnstone ,&nbsp;Joyce Cooper ,&nbsp;John Smithson ,&nbsp;Beverley Glass","doi":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100633","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100633","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Immunosuppression in patients with cancer increases susceptibility to vaccine-preventable diseases, with suboptimal vaccination rates attributed to complex treatment schedules, timing of vaccination and uncertainty in relation to vaccination effectiveness. While pharmacists are routinely vaccinating patients in the community, high-risk cohorts, such as oncology patients, often lack access to dedicated vaccine services in hospital outpatient settings. Pharmacist-led vaccination clinics offer a promising solution to overcome existing barriers by integrating accessible, trusted healthcare professionals into patients' treatment location, to improve uptake through timely, co-located, and coordinated care. This study aimed to explore the perspectives of healthcare professionals regarding the implementation of a pharmacist-led vaccine clinic in an outpatient oncology unit.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Semi-structured interviews were conducted with pharmacists, nurses, and doctors from a single site regional referral hospital. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, deductively and inductively coded and thematically analysed, with emerging themes mapped to the constructs of the Diffusion of Innovation Theory: relative advantage, complexity, compatibility, observability and trialability.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Nineteen interviews were conducted with healthcare professionals, including seven pharmacists, six nurses and six doctors. Factors identified for successful implementation of a pharmacist-led vaccination clinic included patient-centred models, improved convenience and reduced complexity for patients, and compatibility with pharmacists' existing knowledge and role in outpatient units. Barriers were found to be work overload for pharmacists, reduced interaction with general practitioners, and lack of understanding of pharmacists' vaccination training.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Healthcare professionals expressed strong support for a pharmacist-led vaccine clinic in an outpatient oncology unit, recognising the potential to improve vaccination rates. Future research should however focus on assessing patient acceptance of such a service and the impact of such a clinic on vaccination rates.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":73003,"journal":{"name":"Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy","volume":"19 ","pages":"Article 100633"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144604626","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessment of patient perception and administration technique of vaginal tablets at a tertiary care women's hospital","authors":"Nirmal Raj Marasine ,&nbsp;Garima Kunwar ,&nbsp;Manisha Chaudhary ,&nbsp;Anjana Adhikari ,&nbsp;Sabina Sankhi","doi":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100632","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100632","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Vaginal tablets offer an effective and patient-friendly route for both localized and systemic therapies, bypassing hepatic first-pass metabolism and minimizing gastrointestinal side effects. However, in low-resource settings like Nepal, their optimal use is often hindered by patient's perception and administration techniques.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to assess patient perception and administration technique of vaginal tablets at a tertiary women's hospital in Nepal.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted from February to July 2024 among 117 women of reproductive age visiting a tertiary care women's hospital in Kathmandu. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a validated 8-item perception questionnaire and an 8-item administration technique checklist. Bivariate analysis using Pearson's chi-square test and binary logistic regression were performed to identify factors associated with patients' perceptions and administration techniques.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>More than half (56.4 %) of the patient's demonstrated adequate administration techniques (scores ≥6), yet a striking 76.1 % exhibited suboptimal perceptions towards vaginal tablet use. Factors such as being unmarried, having lower educational attainment (illiterate or school level education), being unemployed or a housemaker, residing in rural areas, and lacking prior experience were significantly associated with poorer perceptions. Notably, younger age, prior use and counseling by pharmacists were positively linked to better administration techniques.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Despite adequate administration practices among most women, suboptimal perceptions persist, influenced by demographic and experiential factors. Tailored, provider-led educational interventions focusing on counseling and user-friendly instructions are essential to enhance patient understanding, comfort, and adherence, thereby improving therapeutic outcomes and empowering women in their reproductive health decisions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":73003,"journal":{"name":"Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy","volume":"19 ","pages":"Article 100632"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144588038","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Not so great expectations: The role of price and name information in the nocebo effect","authors":"Kiarne Humphreys ,&nbsp;Michelle Lin ,&nbsp;Kirsten Barnes ,&nbsp;Yasmin Hasan ,&nbsp;Ashwin Vignaraja ,&nbsp;Kritika Sarna ,&nbsp;Andrew L. Geers ,&nbsp;Kate Faasse","doi":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100630","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100630","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The perception of taking a generic medication can result in reduced efficacy and increased side effects, despite equivalence to brand name medications under double blind conditions. It may be that cues typically associated with generics, including lower price and more complex name, exacerbate negative expectations and cause nocebo effects.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Healthy participants (<em>N</em> = 196) were randomised to receive sham-oxytocin nasal spray associated with either a generic (complex name, low price; <em>n</em> = 66) or brand (simple name, high price; <em>n</em> = 68) cue, or to no treatment control (<em>n</em> = 62). Participants were informed that oxytocin could enhance trust and cooperation, but might cause side effects of headache, nausea, vomiting, rapid heartbeat, feeling faint or light-headed, and skin itching or rash. Treatment-related side effects were assessed at baseline, and after 3 days of sham-oxytocin use.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Nocebo effects were observed across sham-treated participants relative to control (<em>p</em> = .015; <em>d</em> = 0.28). Association with a generic relative to branded cue significantly enhanced nocebo effects (<em>p</em> = .042; <em>d</em> = 0.36). Negative expectations mediated the observed nocebo and branding effects.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Cues associated with generic medications can exacerbate nocebo effects and these findings may explain clinical observations of increased side effects from generic medications. Results have important implications for medical care, and interventions to mitigate nocebo effects from generic medications are needed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":73003,"journal":{"name":"Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy","volume":"19 ","pages":"Article 100630"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144580915","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}