The role of primary care pharmacists in the management of long-term illnesses in young people

Almunef, Mohammed Abdulrahman (2023). The role of primary care pharmacists in the management of long-term illnesses in young people. University of Birmingham. Ph.D.

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Abstract

Background
Recent evidence has shown that the incidence of long-term illnesses in young people is increasing. Pharmacists, as medicine experts, are in a unique position to promote young people’s health by improving their knowledge regarding the effective use of medication through the provision of pharmaceutical services. To date, there are few studies that have explored the potential roles of primary care pharmacists in providing health care for young people with long-term illnesses. This research attempts to show the potential role of primary care pharmacists in caring of young people with long-term illnesses.

Aim
To explore the role of primary care pharmacists in the management of long-term illnesses in young people.

Method
The thesis involves four studies; the first study was a systematic literature review designed to explore the role of primary care pharmacists in the management of long-term illnesses in young people aged 10 to 24 years. The second study was a cross-sectional questionnaire study to investigate young people’s perspectives on the pharmaceutical services that are provided from primary care pharmacists relating to medication. The third study was a cross-sectional questionnaire study to explore primary care pharmacists’ experiences with young people with long-term illnesses. In addition, explore the current pharmacy services they provide to young people with long-term illnesses. The final study employed semi-structured interviews with a sample of IP and non-IP primary care pharmacists to explore pharmacists’ roles in the management of long-term illnesses in young people aged 18 to 24 years. In addition to pharmacists’ perceptions about young people's medication-related experiences, pharmacists’ views on pharmaceutical care services provided to young people and suggestions for improvement.

Results
The findings from a systematic review of the literature demonstrated some roles that community pharmacists identified as high-priority in their practice when dealing with young people including supporting young people to develop generic healthcare skills, counselling and building trusted relationships directly with young people, helping young people to find credible health information and the provision of specialist services. The first cross-sectional survey study showed that pharmacists were not utilised as a source of information for young people whereas the majority of young people obtained information from their doctors. Most of the participants had not taken part in a pharmaceutical service such MURs or NMS. Also, most of them had never been told about any services or support groups by their pharmacist. The results from the second cross-sectional survey research showed an interest declared by primary care pharmacists in providing health care to young people aged 18 to 24 years with long-term illnesses. The research has also shown that there could be an opportunity for primary care pharmacists to play a vital role in the care of young people with long-term illnesses especially with the easy accessibility of primary care pharmacies and the availability of these pharmacies in various locations. However, it was noted that there was a lack of training and support accompanied with a need to develop specialist expertise among primary care pharmacists. Participants in the qualitative study identified several roles for primary care pharmacists in caring of young people with long-term illness. These roles included encouraging young people to visit the pharmacy to collect their medicines and ensuring that they have enough medicines supply, counselling and educating young people about their medicines and answering their queries, building trusted relationships directly with them, provision of specialist services, following up with young people and checking on medication compliance, and signposting them for further support. However, many pharmacists perceive a fundamental communication barrier that hinders the provision of this support, i.e., lack of access to the patient. Participants identified a lack of support from other healthcare providers as one of the associated challenges for pharmacists in supporting young people with long-term illnesses.

Conclusion
Primary care pharmacists felt that they have an important role in supporting young people with long-term illness. The interaction between primary care pharmacists and young people when providing pharmaceutical services has been identified. However, the effectiveness of the provision of pharmaceutical services, such as NMS and MUR, counselling about the safe and effective use of medicines and provision of age appropriate health information to young people has not been proven yet. The insights gained from this research may be of assistance to understand the current provision of pharmaceutical services by primary care pharmacists. This thesis makes a contribution to the limited literature on primary care pharmacists’ experience of dealing with young people with long-term illness by exploring the pharmaceutical care currently available and identifying other issues which may influence pharmaceutical care. The findings of this research would be of benefit to policymakers to assist in the further growth of pharmacy services and could inform future research to provide more evidence of the benefit of primary care pharmacists in supporting young people with long-term illness in the optimal use of their medication.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Ph.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Ph.D.

Supervisor(s):