[Evaluation of an educational program on asthma for pharmacists]

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Practice
• Respiratory Medicine
• Patient Education

Background:

• Asthma management requires effective patient self-care and adherence to treatment.
• Dispensing pharmacists play a crucial role in patient support and education.
• Improving pharmacist knowledge can enhance patient outcomes in chronic disease management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of an educational intervention for dispensing pharmacists and their teams.
• To assess the impact of this program on patient asthma awareness and self-care practices.
• To measure improvements in patient consultations, medication use, and inhalation techniques.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective before-after study design was employed over a one-year period.
• Patients were recruited via primary care physicians near participating pharmacies.
• Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires, comparing patients from educated vs. non-educated pharmacies.

Main Results:

• Patients from pharmacies with educated teams (educated patients) demonstrated fewer emergency consultations.
• Educated patients showed increased follow-up visits and greater use of chronic inhalation therapy.
• Significant improvements were observed in inhalation technique control and asthma knowledge among educated patients.

Conclusions:

• Educational programs for pharmacy teams are vital for improving asthma care.
• These programs enhance pharmacist response to patient and physician needs.
• Improved pharmacist education leads to better disease management, treatment adherence, and asthma control.