Role of community pharmacists in improving knowledge and glycemic control of type 2 diabetes

Abstract

Objective:

To study the role of the community pharmacists in improving knowledge and glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes residing in villages of Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu.

Materials and Methods:

Fifty patients were interviewed, of whom 39 subjects were included in the study. The literate and chronic diabetic patients were included in the study and illiterate, children below 12 years of age, pregnant women, nursing mothers and subjects with any other chronic disorders were excluded from the study. The subjects were interviewed and divided randomly into two groups. There were 20 subjects in the control group and 19 in the intervention group. The study protocol was explained to all the participants, and written informed consent was obtained from them. Before the initiation of the study, the subjects were interviewedfor 20–40 min to educate them about diabetes. Subjects in the intervention group received continuous counselling and medical advice to improve their awareness about the disease and drugs. During the study period, the Diabetes Care Profile (a questionnaire developed by J.J. Fitzgerald of the Michigan Diabetes Research and Training Center, University of Michigan Medical School, Michigan) was performed to each subject. The interval between visits was 2 months. All the values are expressed in mean ± standard deviation.

Results:

The intervention group showed better progress in the recovery of diabetics because of the continuous counselling and monitoring. There were significant changes in Diabetes Care Profile subscale scores in both the control and the intervention groups at the end of the study, viz. 1.8 ± 4.52 to 2.75 ± 6.62 and 3.10 ± 3.23 to 1.53 ± 2.66. Similarly, the knowledge test score was found to be increased in the intervention group compared with the baseline values (8.53 ± 1.81 to 12.16 ± 1.34).

Conclusions:

At the end of the study period, the patients of the intervention group had very good glycemic control. Their health status and understanding of diabetes and its management were better, and they had fewer problems such as episodes of hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia.

Keywords: Community pharmacist, Diabetes Care Profile, type 2 diabetes patients

Go to:

Community pharmacists are in a unique position to monitor and counsel rural patients with DM. The need for increased diabetes care presents an excellent opportunity for community pharmacists to become more involved in the management and follow-up of people with diabetes. This study demonstrates the positive impact that the community pharmacist can have in achieving the primary therapeutic goal in diabetes patients of overall diabetes control. The data analysis indicated that at the end of the study period, the intervention group patients had very good glycemic control, good health, a good understanding of diabetes and its management and the fewest control problems, such as incidences of symptomatic episodes of hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia.

Articles from :http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3275990/