Effectiveness of a short training program for community pharmacists to improve knowledge and practice of asthma counselling – A simulated patient study. (November 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Nguyen, Tu-Son; Nguyen, Thi Lien Huong; Pham, Thi Thuy Van; Cao, Thi Bich Thao; Nguyen, Van Khai; Hua, Susan; Li, Shu Chuen
• Is Part Of: Respiratory medicine. Volume 144(2018)
• Page Start: 50
• Page End: 60
• Publication Date: 2018-11
• Subjects: Asthma -- Community pharmacy -- Continuing educational program -- Simulated patient method -- Developing country -- Vietnam; Chest -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Chest -- Diseases -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; Respiratory organs -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Respiratory Tract Diseases -- Periodicals; Appareil respiratoire -- Maladies -- Périodiques; Thorax -- Maladies -- Périodiques; Appareil respiratoire -- Maladies -- Traitement -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 616.2
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rmed.2018.10.003
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0954-6111

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: Community pharmacists can make significant contributions and be an indispensable member in the asthma therapy chain. The present study aimed to investigate the current knowledge level of Vietnamese community pharmacists in asthma counselling and the impact of a short training program on asthma knowledge and practice. Method: 300 community pharmacists participated in the study. A knowledge questionnaire about asthma medications and a standardized inhaler checklist were designed to evaluate their knowledge before and after a 4-h training program. Six to eight weeks later, 10 simulated patients were sent to the community pharmacies to evaluate the pharmacists' knowledge and practice. Results: The training program significantly improved the asthma knowledge score of pharmacists from 5.3 to 17.2 out of a maximum score of 20 (p < 0.001). After the training, the percentage of pharmacists performing correctly inhaler devices increased significantly (0% vs.∼50%, p < 0.001). In the simulated patient study, pharmacists who attended the training demonstrated better asthma knowledge with higher scores (5.4 vs 1.7 out of a maximum score of 7.0, p < 0.001), as well as much better inhaler technique scores (6.1 vs 4.3, out of a maximum score of 8, p < 0.001). These pharmacists achieved higher scores in all aspects encompassing distinguishing controllers and relievers, counselling correctly about adherence, and common side effects. Conclusion: Our results revealed significant knowledge deficiency about asthma among Vietnamese community pharmacists. However, a short training program was effective in upskilling the pharmacists to effectively counsel asthmatic patients about the management of their condition and medications. Highlights: Pre-training, community pharmacists had limited knowledge on asthma and medications. Pharmacists' inhaler technique was also very poor before attending training. Post-training, asthma knowledge score and technique score improved significantly. Trained pharmacists achieved higher scores when counselling for simulated patients.