TITLE:
Assessment of Counselling for Acute Diarrhoea in North-Eastern German Pharmacies—A Follow-Up Study Using the Simulated Patient Methodology
AUTHORS:
Bernhard Langer, Michael Kieper, Sonja Laube, Juliane Schramm, Sophia Weber, Alexander Werwath
KEYWORDS:
Over-the-Counter Medication, Pharmacies, Acute Diarrhoea, Quality of Advice, Simulated Patient Method
JOURNAL NAME:
Pharmacology & Pharmacy,
Vol.9 No.7,
July
25,
2018
ABSTRACT: Aim: As the
primary aim of this study, we analysed whether the quality of advice provided
by pharmacies in the period between 2014 (baseline study) and 2017 (follow-up
study) could actually be increased using a single written performance feedback
given to each pharmacy in 2014. The secondary aim of the follow-up examination
was to analyse whether the quality of advice differed depending on the
professional group providing the advice. Methodology: To ensure the least possible
distortion in the comparison between the baseline and the follow-up studies, the
study design used for the follow-up examination in 2017 was not changed
compared to the baseline examination in 2014. The data for the follow-up
examination were therefore collected using the simulated patient method in all
21 pharmacies in a city in the north-east of Germany. Three female and two male
test buyers used four different scenarios for self-medication of acute
diarrhoea in all of the pharmacies (a total of 84 test purchases). Results: There
were significant differences between the overall results from the baseline
study (2014) and the follow-up study (2017) (Wilcoxon signed rank test; z = –2.065, p = 0.039, r = 0.225). In the overall
average, the pharmacies in 2017 achieved only 2.7 (30%) of 9 possible points
whereas in 2014 they achieved 3.3 (37%). The quality
of advice between the professional groups did not show any significant
differences (Kruskal-Wallis test: χ2(2)
= 1.946; p = 0.378, r = 0.027). Conclusions: The quality of advice for
acute diarrhoea in adults declined over time. A written performance feedback
intended to improve the quality proved ineffective. Interventions with a far
greater impact are required to achieve an improvement in the quality of advice
provided.