Self Care - The role of Pharmacy

Question 1

What is self - care?

Answer 1

• Self-care is the independent act of preventing, diagnosing, and treating one’s own illnesses without seeking professional advice’
  – Taking control of your own health and well being

Question 2

Why self care is increasing?

Answer 2

• Lifestyle. (e.g. weight loss, smoking cessation) + ( People are becoming more helath concious, ageing population = want to live longer)
• Easy access to drugs. ( OTC available in supermakets & pharmacies & online)
• Public health and environmental factors. ( More funding)
• The increased potential to manage certain illness through self care. ( Long term conditions i.e diabetes = monitoring has become automated & allows patients to have mroe control)

Question 2

What are the 2 types of self- care?

Answer 2

1. Preventive Self Care
2. Sickness Self Care

Question 2

What is Preventive self-care?

Answer 2

• Involves maintaining well-being and appearance through exercise and a healthy lifestyle.
• Taking vitamins, minerals, controlling their diet , maintaining appearance using dental, skin and hair care products
• Doing what you can to prevent yourself from becoming ill

Question 2

What is Self Medication?

Answer 2

• individuals treat their ailment and conditions with medicines which are approved and available without prescription.
• Safe & effective when used as directed
• OTC= self medication
• Plays a role in adjunctive therapy (= meds used alongside primary treatment) for chronic diseases that are managed by prescription meds

Question 2

Where can you find info for self- care?

Answer 2

• Internet
• Newspaper/Magazines
• Books
• Friends/Family ( people trust friends & family)
• Social media ( influencers influence people)
  How reliable is the info?
  Be wary of the info & where the patient got it from

Question 2

What is Sickness self-care?

Answer 2

• You become sick & purchase things to make yourself better.
• Involves diagnosing their conditions and obtaining
  products for relieving symptoms
• Disease assessment and management:
  o Home blood glucose meters and pregnancy tests
  o First-aid bandages, nebulizers
  o Self diagnostic test kits – iron deficiency, thyroid function, urinary tract infection (You can buy these kits online or from supermarket)

Question 2

Self Medication

Answer 2

• most sought after first level of self care
• Globally it is promoted as a means of reducing the health
  care burden on the public budget.
• Self medicating for minor illnesses is more cost effective than referring to a doctor.
• Reduces burden on NHS

Question 3

Options for Self-Medications

Answer 3

• OTC meds ( non - prescription)
• Nutritional dietary supplements + Nutriotional
• Natural products ( steam inhalation w/ vikks vapor rub) and homeopathic remedies( diluted substances)- Not much evidence to support.

Question 4

Over the Counter medicines (OTC)

Answer 4

• OTC MED = Non-prescription meds = Can buy w/o a prescription
• safe and effective when a patient follows the directions on the label and as directed by health care professionals including pharmacists.

Question 5

Deregulation
(POM-to-OTC Switch)

Answer 5

• Meds that were once POM become OTC
  A. Safety
  B. Efficacy
  C. Provision of information leading to safe use/ Clear guidlines on:
• Warnings i.e side effects
• Duration of use

Question 5

Advantages of OTC Medicines

Answer 5

• Can save money – cheaper than prescription
  charge (£9.65 per item)
• A lot of people work 9-5 so it is diff to get an appointment at a time that is suitable for them = More convinent to buy OTC
• Savings for the NHS ( Not paying for doctors or pharacist time or prescriptions)
• Empowering for patients ( educates patients , they can medicate themsleves w/o the need of a doctor)

Question 6

Examples of self- limiting common conditions

Answer 6

-Common Conditions people come in for that are self- limiting = clear up in a few days
- Pain
- Cough/cold/flu/sore throat
- Allergy/sinus problems
- Heartburn, indigestion
- Constipation/diarrhoea
- Minor infections
- Skin problems

Question 6

Risks with self medication

Answer 6

• Wrong dose/product = patients may misunderstand what the med is for
• Drug-Drug interaction = Make sure the med dosen’t interact w/ any other meds they are taking or may be on
• Abuse of OTC products
• Adverse drug reactions = Drug may cause new side effects but patient may not realise
• Overdiagnosis/Underdiagnosis = Clarify what the patients symptoms actually are & the severity

Question 7

Examples of drug-drug Interactions

Answer 7

increased risk of bleeding is detrimental for eledrly who may have had a fall

Question 8

Calling 111

Answer 8

• Direct you to diff outcomes
• over 3,500 calls daily are recommended self-care

Question 9

Communication Skills

Answer 9

• Active listening
• Questioning techniques (open ended, closed ended
• Observation
• Empathy
• Differentiation between minor and more serious symptoms
• Evidence based treatment choices

Question 10

Safe Use of OTC medicines

Answer 10

Pharmacist can combat the misuse of non prescription
drugs through the following:
* Ensure the patients are able to read and understand
product labelling/dosage.
* Help patients avoid drug interactions ( ask what meds are they taking)
* Warn about potential allergic reactions and side effect & how to deal w/ them
* Discuss appropriate drug storage and handling.

Question 11

WWHAM questions

Answer 11

• W: who is the patient?
• W: what are the symptoms?
• H: how long have the symptoms been present?
• A: action taken
• M: medication being taken

Question 12

OTC And “Risk” Groups

Answer 12

• Children= * S/ meds are licensed for 12 & over only +extra considerations for children & how long they have had the symptoms
• Pregnant and breast feeding women= Any med may be passed on to baby if preg or breastfeeding
• Elderly= may be more impacted by the side effects
• People with long term conditions:
  -Pseudoephedrine should be avoided by hypertensive patients , increases bp
  -The sedative effects of drugs prescribed for anxiety,
  depression and psychosis may be enhanced by antihistamines , drowsiness

Question 13

Who is this medicine for?

Answer 13

• Proxy visits
• Think about type of patient
• Elderly?
• Child?
• Pregnant or breastfeeding?
• Excessive use? Laxatives/painkillers ( laxatives used in younger gen for weight loss)

Question 13

What are the symptoms?

Answer 13

• Need to find out the nature of problem
• Intensity? Severe or mild
• Location of symptoms

Question 13

How long have the symptoms been
present?

Answer 13

• Minor ailments are self-limiting ( a few days)
• Long standing, may need referral
• Repetitive in nature? ( May need referral to check for any underlying issues )

Question 14

What Action has already been taken?

Answer 14

• What other drugs have they tried?
• Did they work?
• Avoid offering the same advice….

Question 14

Are you taking any other medication?

Answer 14

• Many patients will be taking other medication,prescribed or OTC

Question 15

if patient requests med by name you must

Answer 15

• Still under an obligation to ask questions
• patient may be annoyed at the fact that you are asking questions as they may feel undermined - especially if they have taken the med before and it has worked for them.

Question 16

When to refer

Answer 16

• Dependent on signs, symptoms and duration e.g.
  blood on coughing, or cough longer than 3 weeks.
• Avoid raising fears – don’t say “cancer”,
• State that you are worried about s/ symptoms and want to refer

Question 17

Product Recalls

Answer 17

• have to inform patients that a product has been recalled
• give reason why
• suggest a similar product