Barriers to medication counselling for people with mental health disorders: a six country study

Pharmacy Practice (Internet)

  • S. Elina Aaltonen1Division of Social Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki [Now: Porvoon Uusi Apteekki, Porvoo], Finland.
  • Niina P. Laine2Division of Social Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki [Now: Vihdin Apteekki, Helsinki], Finland.
  • Daisy Volmer3Institute of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tartu, Estonia.
  • Manjiri S. Gharat4Community Pharmacy Division, Indian Pharmaceutical Association; K.M. Kundnani Pharmacy Polytechnic, Ulhasnagar, Maharashtra, India.
  • Ruta Muceniece5Faculty of Medicine, University of Latvia, Latvia.
  • Anna Vitola6Faculty of Pharmacy, Riga Stradins University, Latvia.
  • Veerle Foulon7Research Centre for Pharmaceutical Care and Pharmacoeconomics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium.
  • Franciska A. Desplenter7Research Centre for Pharmaceutical Care and Pharmacoeconomics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium.
  • Marja S. Airaksinen9Division of Social Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Finland.
  • Timothy F. Chen10Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sydney, Australia.
  • J. Simon Bell11Division of Social Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki [Now: Kuopio Research Centre of Geriatric Care, and Clinical Pharmacology and Geriatric Pharmacotherapy Unit, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Finland], Finland.

Volume 8 Issue 2 Pages 122-131

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare and contrast barriers pharmacy students perceive toward providing medication counselling for people with mental health disorders in Australia, Belgium, Estonia, Finland, India and Latvia. Methods: Barriers identified by third-year pharmacy students as part of the International Pharmacy Students’ Health Survey were content analysed using a directed approach. Students’ responses were categorised as pharmacist related, patient related, health-system related, or social or cultural related. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS version 14.0. Results: Survey instruments were returned by 649 students. Of the respondents, 480 identified one or more barriers to medication counselling for people with mental health disorders. Patient related factors accounted for between 25.3% and 36.2% of barriers identified by the pharmacy students. Pharmacist related factors accounted for between 17.6% and 45.1% of the barriers identified by the pharmacy students. Students in India were more likely to attribute barriers to pharmacist and social and cultural related factors, and less likely to health-system related factors, than students studying in other countries. Conclusion: The nature of barriers identified by pharmacy students differed according to the country in which they studied. Undergraduate and postgraduate pharmacy education programs may need to be amended to address common misconceptions among pharmacy students.

Keywords

  • Mental Disorders
  • Community Pharmacy Services
  • Attitude of Health Personnel
  • Australia
  • Belgium
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • India
  • Latvia
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