Pharmaceutical services in primary health care : are pharmacists and users on the same page?

Borges Luz, Tatiana Chama and Silva de Souza Costa, Maria Emília and Portes, Daniela Santana and Costa e Santos, Lucas Barbi and Almeida e Sousa, Samuel Rodrigues and Luiza, Vera Lucia (2017) Pharmaceutical services in primary health care : are pharmacists and users on the same page? Revista Ciência & Saúde Coletiva, 22 (8). pp. 2463-2474. ISSN 1413-8123 (https://doi.org/10.1590/1413-81232017228.29642016)

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Abstract

This study investigated structural and organizational characteristics of the Pharmaceutical Services based on Primary Health Care (PHCPS) from the viewpoints of users and pharmacists. A mixed method design was applied, combining one-to-one semi-structured interviews with four pharmacists in charge of five public dispensing facilities and 69 users, with a secondary database analysis. Data were collected from February to August 2014 in Divinopolis, a municipality in Minas Gerais State. PHCPS were similar in terms of general activities performed and staff profile and background. While users were concerned about medicines' availability and improvements related to the PHCPS' conveniences and personnel, pharmacists pointed out problems regarding infrastructure to storage. Despite most users had low information on how to use their medicines, no pharmacists declared to participate in medicines dispensing activities. There was a low match between users and pharmacists viewpoints and advantages for concentrate medicines dispensing in a smaller number of facilities were not clear.

ORCID iDs

Borges Luz, Tatiana Chama ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1323-3105, Silva de Souza Costa, Maria Emília, Portes, Daniela Santana, Costa e Santos, Lucas Barbi, Almeida e Sousa, Samuel Rodrigues and Luiza, Vera Lucia;
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)