pharmaceutical care for visually impaired patients ala osama; hoda mohamady; yousra adel supervised...
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Pharmaceutical Care for Visually
Impaired Patients
Ala Osama; Hoda Mohamady; Yousra Adel
Supervised By: Dr. Rana Ibrahim
University of Sharjah; College of Pharmacy
Introduction
The agency for Health care research and quality defines pharmacy health literacy as "the degree to which individuals are able to obtain, process, and understand basic health and medication information and pharmacy services needed to make appropriate health decisions".
The definition of vision impairment by the center for disease control and prevention (CDC) states that a visually impaired person's eyesight can't be corrected to a normal level.
According to WHO, the percentage of visual impairment globally is approximately 4.13%.
Objective
To heighten the level of awareness among pharmacists with regards to the necessities and concerns of patients with visual impairment and to establish and evolve strategies that optimally accustom these needs.
Review strategies to enhance medication compliance for patients with visual impairment.
Methods Study design: Cross sectional
study – observational study Limits: Visually impaired
individuals – the survey was restricted solely to those who attain access to the internet in addition social networks such as twitter.
A survey was provided to pharmacists in UAE to apprehend their methods of dealing with a visually impaired patient. An online questionnaire was sent for some visually impaired individuals to detect their concerns and problems, and explore solutions they suggest.
Results: Pharmacists
Among the surveyed pharmacists, 40% had a previous encounter with a visually impaired patient, of which 35% handled the patients conventionally as with their respective peers while 65% gave a special consideration.
91% of the sample comprehend that visually impaired patients have the right to obtain the information they require in a suitable format.
Upon questioning about some special aids, 24.5% didn't have any knowledge or prior experience with them.
Always21%
Sometimes32%
Rare38%
Never9%
Figure 1: Frequency of visits of visually impaired patients to the pharmacy
I have no idea, I will try to avoid communication
Communicate just like I usually do
Consider special communication skills
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
Figure 3: Communication methods with a visually impaired patient in the pharmacy.
Dispense the drug without any counselling
Provide a leaflet in regular font
Print information in a large font
Send information by email
Record information (on mobile or recorder)
Provide the patient with a website
Ask the patient about the preferred way
Provide information to a caregiver
Advise the patient to use a magnifier
Provide a CD that has the information
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
Figure 4: Providing drug information and counselling for visually impaired patients
Results: Visually impaired individuals: 39% go to the pharmacy with someone else, 35% ask someone to
go instead of them and 26% go alone. 65% never receive information from the pharmacist in a
suitable format, of which 43% never asked for it, 43% asked but the pharmacist didn't respond or couldn't provide it, and 14% had other reasons.
With regards to the special aids, 60.8% demonstrated prior knowledge about a multitude of them.
All individuals in the sample determined that this issue is paramount and requires advance attention from health authorities.
Yes87%
No13%
Figure 5: Do you feel that your visual impairment affects your privacy regarding your health condition?
Yes83%
No17%
Figure 6: Do you think you have the right to ask the phar-macist for information in a suitable format for you?
Nothing Ask someone to read it for
you
Go back to the pharmacy to
ask
Try to find it by myself
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Figure 7: If you need information about your medications, what do you usually do?
Braille leaflet / Braille labelers
Large font written information
Verbal counselling
Recorded information
Magnifyers / Magnifying glasses
Get Information sent by email
Websites
Get CD from the pharmacist
Free-toll service for drug information
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
Figure 8: Which of these you think can help visually impaired patients get the information they need?
Braille Labeler
Small device that allows easy typing of labels in
Braille language to
stick them on drug bottles
Color Detector
Device with speech
output of the color
detected upon
touching any object
ScripTalk Device that uses text-to-
speech technology to
read drug information
Talking Rx Small
recorder designed
specially to record
information about
medications for visually impaired patients
X-PIL
Specialized website that
provides information
in an accessible format, in addition to
free-toll service for
drug information
Conclusion
There is a need to increase the awareness and concentration about this important issue among the pharmacists.
There are some solutions to be applied and integrated as a part of the strategy of pharmaceutical care for visually impaired patients.
Recommendation
Based on the patients’ as well as the pharmacists’ responses we highly recommend the integration of the Braille labeler into the pharmacies. It is the most renowned device among the two parties.
Raise the awareness among the pharmacists with regards to the rights of the visually impaired individuals in acquiring the optimal pharmaceutical care.
Training to handle this group of patients should be implemented within the counseling programs of pharmacist.
References
Orrico, K. (2013). Caring for visually impaired patients. Journal of the
American Pharmacists Association: Japha, 53(3), e142-50.
doi:10.1331/JAPhA.2013.13514
Osborne, H. (2000). In other words... When vision is an issue...
communicating with patients who are visually impaired. On Call, 3(10),
38-39.
Dobbins, J. C. (2002). Counseling the blind and vision-impaired. Drug
Topics, 146(21), 15.
Pascolini, D., & Mariotti, S. (2012). Global estimates of visual impairment:
2010. British Journal of Ophthalmology, 96(5), 614-618.
doi:10.1136/bjophthalmol-2011-300539.