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Kahrilas PJ, Anastasiou F, Barrett K, Beh L, Chinzon D, Doerfler B, López-Pintor E, Maimin J, Mendive JM, Taft T, Hungin AP. Assessment and treatment of reflux-like symptoms in the community: a multidisciplinary perspective. Br J Gen Pract 2024; 74:232-235. [PMID: 38664044 PMCID: PMC11060810 DOI: 10.3399/bjgp24x737349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Peter J Kahrilas
- Division of Gastroenterology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, US
| | - Foteini Anastasiou
- 24th Local Primary Care Team, Municipality Practice and Academic Practice of Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | | | - Lovy Beh
- Malaysian Community Pharmacy Guild (MCPG), Malaysia
| | - Decio Chinzon
- Department of Gastroenterology, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Bethany Doerfler
- Division of Gastroenterology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, US
| | - Elsa López-Pintor
- Department of Engineering, Area of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Alicante, Spain; CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health, CIBERESP, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jacqueline Maimin
- Independent Community Pharmacy Association NPC, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Juan M Mendive
- La Mina Primary Care Academic Centre, Catalan Health Institute, University of Barcelona, Spain
| | - Tiffany Taft
- Division of Gastroenterology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, US
| | - A Pali Hungin
- Primary Care and General Practice, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
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Chukwu OA, Nnogo CC, Essue B. Task shifting to nonphysician health workers for improving access to care and treatment for cancer in low- and middle-income countries- a systematic review. Res Social Adm Pharm 2023; 19:1511-1519. [PMID: 37659923 DOI: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2023.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer is a complex global health issue overburdening health systems especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This burden is becoming more severe and complex as the global shortage of cancer care workforce persists. Since task shifting offers an alternative to address workforce shortages, a systematic review with the following research question was carried out: What is the scope of roles and tasks shifted to nonphysician health workers in improving access to cancer control services? The aim of this review is to critically identify, appraise and present evidence on how task shifting could be integrated and scaled to expand access to quality cancer control services in LMICs. OBJECTIVE The aim of this review is to critically identify, appraise and present evidence on how task shifting could be integrated and scaled to expand access to quality cancer control services in LMICs. METHODS Four databases were searched - CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE and SCOPUS from inception to October 15, 2022, and included all studies that reported task shifting of cancer control services to nonphysician health workers. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines was followed to report the review process. Risk of bias was assessed using the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute quality assessment scale. The studies were summarized using narrative synthesis. A meta-analysis could not be carried out because the review only assessed the scope of roles that were shifted to nonphysician health workers and because of the heterogeneity in the characteristics of the studies included in the review. RESULTS The search identified 170 articles out of which 16 were included in the review. Three studies were randomized controlled trials, four were cluster randomized trials, while 9 were cross-sectional. Tasks were shifted to primary healthcare workers, nurses, and community health workers. Tasks shifted included screening, patient education, and diagnostic procedures. Evidence from the studies showed that the quality and effectiveness of tasks performed were comparable, and in some cases, better than usual care. CONCLUSIONS Findings showed that tasks in certain areas of cancer control services such as screening, education, and diagnosis can be shifted to nonphysician health workers and that it could be effective in improving access to certain cancer control services. Therefore, this review has shown that task shifting could be an effective strategy in addressing current workforce shortages in cancer care and that there is a need to examine the care required along the cancer continuum to better understand which interventions can most effectively be shifted to more advanced health professionals such as pharmacists to improve access to cancer control services in LMICs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Otuto Amarauche Chukwu
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Canada.
| | | | - Beverley Essue
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Canada
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Hutton-Nyameaye AA, Saah FI, Bedzina I, Somuah SO, Mensah KB, Duedu KO, Buabeng KO. Management of sexually transmitted infections: a qualitative assessment of community pharmacy practices in the Ho Municipality, Ghana. J Pharm Policy Pract 2023; 16:140. [PMID: 37950337 PMCID: PMC10636839 DOI: 10.1186/s40545-023-00650-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Effective management of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is crucial in the control and spread of these infections in health systems. Community pharmacies are usually the first port of call in Ghana for most people who contract STIs for therapy. Delayed and inappropriate treatment contributes significantly to treatment failures, drug resistance and complications. However, the community pharmacies may not have diagnostic tools and trained personnel for prompt case detection and appropriate therapeutic action. Thus, posing a higher risk for inappropriate therapy with consequences of worsening symptoms and poor treatment outcomes. This study explored the STI management practices in community pharmacies in the Ho Municipality. METHODS Purposively selected study participants were community pharmacy staff including Pharmacists (n = 6), Pharmacy Technicians (n = 2) and Dispensing Assistants (n = 10) in outlets in Ho Municipality of the Volta region, Ghana. Data collection was carried out from December 2020 to January 2021. In-depth interviews of the participants using a semi-structured interview guide were conducted and recorded. Data obtained was transcribed and analyzed using NVivo version 12 using the thematic framework. RESULTS Some of the pharmacy staff were unaware of National Standard Treatment Guidelines (STG) and its recommendations for STI management. More than half of the participants believed the STG recommendations were important for therapy but few thought the STG recommendations were ineffective sometimes. Appropriate STI management practices observed included infection treatment based on laboratory data, and STG protocols that recommend syndromic approach. Negative STI management practices included disregarding the presence of possible mixed infections and treating all symptoms observed empirically as a single infection without laboratory confirmation. CONCLUSION The STI management practices in the community pharmacies had many gaps that risk infective therapy, treatment failures, STI complications, and antibiotic resistance. Efforts should be invested into the training of practitioners in community pharmacies for safe and effective practices for STI management, and encouraged to have diagnostic kits or work with laboratory facilities for testing to inform definitive therapy for optimal outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Araba Ata Hutton-Nyameaye
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana.
| | - Farrukh Ishaque Saah
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, FN Binka School of Public Health, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Hohoe, Ghana
- Department of Population and Health, Faculty of Social Sciences, College of Humanities and Legal Studies, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Israel Bedzina
- Department of Medical Laboratory, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana
| | - Samuel Owusu Somuah
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana
| | - Kofi Boamah Mensah
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Kwabena Obeng Duedu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Basic and Biomedical Sciences, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana
- College of Life Sciences, Birmingham City University, City South Campus, Birmingham, UK
| | - Kwame Ohene Buabeng
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
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Titus-Lay E, Nehira J, Courtney J, Jee J, Kumar M, Tiet J, Le V, Durbin-Johnson B, Chen MS, Vinall R. A pharmacist-led community-based survey study: Determining the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on actionable factors associated with worse cancer outcomes and cancer health disparities. EXPLORATORY RESEARCH IN CLINICAL AND SOCIAL PHARMACY 2023; 11:100311. [PMID: 37533758 PMCID: PMC10392607 DOI: 10.1016/j.rcsop.2023.100311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose The goals of this cross-sectional community-based survey study were to assess the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on actionable factors which are known to contribute to worse cancer outcomes, and to determine whether race and ethnicity-based differences exist. Methods A survey study which captured demographic information and changes in cancer outcomes-related factors since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, was conducted at a public Covid-19 vaccination clinic over a period of 10 days during March 2021. Surveys were administered in multiple languages. Chi-square tests and ANOVA followed by post-hoc Dunnett testing assessed for race and ethnicity-based differences. Results A total of 949 people participated (61.6% participation rate). Ninety-three surveys were removed based on inclusion criteria giving a final participant number of 856. Many participants reported postponing cancer screenings (17.8%) and cancellation of medical appointments (22.8% and 25.8% reported cancelled appointments by providers or themselves, respectively) due to the pandemic. Participants also reported decreased physical activity (44.7%) and increased tobacco and/or marijuana usage (7.0%). Conversely, participants reported consuming more fruits and vegetables (21.4%) and decreasing alcohol consumption (21.4%). Several race-related differences but no ethnicity-related differences were observed. Conclusion Our data can be used to help guide pharmacist-led targeted outreach in our community which will help mitigate Covid-19 pandemic-driven changes in behaviors associated with worse cancer outcomes and exacerbation of cancer health disparities. To our knowledge, this is the first cancer outcomes-related study to be conducted at a public Covid-19 vaccination site and is the first pharmacist-led study in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Titus-Lay
- California Northstate University College of Pharmacy (CNUCOP), Elk Grove, CA 95757, USA
| | - Jeffrey Nehira
- California Northstate University College of Pharmacy (CNUCOP), Elk Grove, CA 95757, USA
| | - Jennifer Courtney
- California Northstate University College of Pharmacy (CNUCOP), Elk Grove, CA 95757, USA
| | - Jacquelyn Jee
- California Northstate University College of Pharmacy (CNUCOP), Elk Grove, CA 95757, USA
| | - Marissa Kumar
- California Northstate University College of Pharmacy (CNUCOP), Elk Grove, CA 95757, USA
| | - Jenny Tiet
- California Northstate University College of Pharmacy (CNUCOP), Elk Grove, CA 95757, USA
| | - Vivi Le
- California Northstate University College of Pharmacy (CNUCOP), Elk Grove, CA 95757, USA
| | - Blythe Durbin-Johnson
- Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Moon S. Chen
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, UC Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
| | - Ruth Vinall
- California Northstate University College of Pharmacy (CNUCOP), Elk Grove, CA 95757, USA
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Egbewande OM, Abdulwasiu MA, Yusuf RO, Durojaye AB, Ashimiyu-Abdulsalam ZI. Roles of Community Pharmacists in Cancer Management. Innov Pharm 2022; 13:10.24926/iip.v13i3.4946. [PMID: 36627904 PMCID: PMC9815873 DOI: 10.24926/iip.v13i3.4946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Community pharmacists are among the most easily accessible healthcare practitioners and are usually the first point of contact with the public or community. This is often due to their accessibility, credibility, and widespread within the public sector making them essential members of the healthcare team with significant contributions to the delivery of public health care. Community pharmacists, in addition to their known educational and awareness-raising roles, may play an essential role in risk assessment and screening of patients, detection of symptoms of probable malignancy, and cancer treatments. The pharmacy profession has been evolving from dispensing roles into more patient-oriented outcomes and pharmacists are now participating in more clinical interventions. This places community pharmacists in the best position to provide the necessary knowledge and healthcare to benefit populations at risk of cancer. Active involvement of community pharmacists in the care and management of cancer will significantly contribute to screening and risk assessment, early detection, treatment and eradication of breast, cervical, lung, ovarian and other forms of cancer. As a result, the community pharmacy setting must the developed to maximize its full potential in cancer care.
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Jones D, Di Martino E, Bradley SH, Essang B, Hemphill S, Wright JM, Renzi C, Surr C, Clegg A, Neal R. Factors influencing symptom appraisal and help-seeking of older adults with possible cancer: a mixed-methods systematic review. Br J Gen Pract 2022; 72:BJGP.2021.0655. [PMID: 35995576 PMCID: PMC9423047 DOI: 10.3399/bjgp.2021.0655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The cancer burden falls predominantly on older (≥65 years) adults. Prompt presentation to primary care with cancer symptoms could result in earlier diagnosis. However, patient symptom appraisal and help-seeking decisions involving cancer symptoms are complex and may be further complicated in older adults. AIM To explore the effect of older age on patients' appraisal of possible cancer symptoms and their decision to seek help for these symptoms. DESIGN AND SETTING Mixed-methods systematic review. METHOD MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, Web of Science Core Collection, ASSIA, the ISRCTN registry, and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence were searched for studies on symptom appraisal and help-seeking decisions for cancer symptoms by adults aged ≥65 years. Studies were analysed using thematic synthesis and according to the Synthesis Without Meta-Analysis guidelines. RESULTS Eighty studies were included with a total of 32 995 participants. Studies suggested a possible association between increasing age and prolonged symptom appraisal interval. Reduced knowledge of cancer symptoms and differences in symptom interpretation may contribute to this prolonged interval. In contrast, in the current study a possible association was found between increasing age and prompt help-seeking. Themes affecting help-seeking in older adults included the influence of family and carers, competing priorities, fear, embarrassment, fatalism, comorbidities, a desire to avoid doctors, a perceived need to not waste doctors' time, and patient self-management of symptoms. CONCLUSION This review suggests that increasing age is associated with delayed cancer symptom appraisal. When symptoms are recognised as potentially serious, increasing age was associated with prompt help-seeking although other factors could prolong this. Policymakers, charities, and GPs should aim to ensure older adults are able to recognise potential symptoms of cancer and seek help promptly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Jones
- Leeds Institute of Health Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds
| | | | | | - Blessing Essang
- Leeds Institute of Health Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds
| | - Scott Hemphill
- Leeds Institute of Health Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds
| | - Judy M Wright
- Leeds Institute of Health Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds
| | | | | | - Andrew Clegg
- Academic Unit for Ageing & Stroke Research, University of Leeds, Leeds
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