Pharmaceutical care in Brazil's primary health care

Assessment of the implementation of pharmacist prescribing: Challenges and pathways for ambulatory practice

BACKGROUND

Prescribing by pharmacists is an increasingly common practice worldwide. In Brazil regulation of this practice began in 2013, and the practice remains unexplored as a research topic.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to explore and gain insights into pharmacist prescribing practices in Brazil and assessing pharmacist's perceptions of their training and preparedness to prescribe medications.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted between October 2022 and March 2023 via convenience sampling. Data were collected using an online questionnaire covering sociodemographic issues, academic training, prescribing practices, and perceptions regarding the provision of pharmacist prescribing in ambulatory care. Exploratory descriptive analysis and Poisson regression were performed to estimate the associations between pharmacist characteristics and their practices in prescribing medicines.

RESULTS

Among the 305 valid responses, 58.7% of the outpatient pharmacists stated that they had not prescribed any medication in the previous three years. Over-the-counter medication prescriptions were most common (42.0%). Only 4.6% of respondents had prescribed prescription-only medicines provided through collaborative agreement, with 2.6% reporting that they had adjusted doses, and 2.3% played a role in prescription renewal. Pharmacists living in Northeast regions tended to be more active prescribers (PR = 1.42; 95%CI 1.03-2.18), whereas those in primary healthcare (PR = 0.61; 95%CI 0.39-0.96) and self-declared Black pharmacists (PR = 0.30; 95%CI 0.10-0.97) prescribed less. Respondents strongly believed in the pharmacist's role as a prescriber, although they remained ambivalent regarding their responsibility for patient outcomes. Progress barriers include infrastructure gaps and strained relationships with physicians.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that pharmacists in Brazil predominantly prescribe over-the-counter medications, and variations in setting, region, and race can influence prescribing by pharmacist in ambulatory care.

Perceptions of formal pharmacy leadership on the social role of the profession and its historical evolution: A qualitative study

Background

In recent years, pharmaceutical professionalism has been questioned due to the social role of pharmacy, which is ambiguous in the literature. This raises questions about the purpose of the profession among pharmacists, despite the efforts of their professional organizations and formal leaders to consolidate the occupational status of the profession.

Objective

To understand the social role of pharmacy in Brazil through its historical evolution based on the perceptions of formal leaders of the profession.

Methods

A qualitative study was conducted between July 2020 and February 2021 with pharmacists who held leadership positions in formal and professional pharmacy organizations in Brazil. The data obtained from the interviews were submitted to content analysis.

Results

A total of 17 pharmacists participated in this study. The data analyzed presented perceptions about the social role of the pharmaceutical profession in Brazil, which promotes access to health through different means. These include the manager pharmacist, who facilitates access to public health policies; the caring pharmacist, who promotes health education and the rational use of medicines; and the technologist pharmacist, who researches, develops, and promotes access to safe and cost-effective medicines. The interviewees also discussed the evolution of this social role based on influential factors such as legislation, clinical movement, pharmaceutical education, labor market, behaviors, and attitudes of pharmacists.

Conclusion

In this study, pharmaceutical professionalism was conceptualized based on its social role, which should be centered on the patient. Understanding such issues is part of the evolutionary purpose of the profession in Brazil and should be encouraged in the behaviors and attitudes of pharmacists despite the challenges faced by the profession.

Professionals' and Patients' Perspectives on Criteria for Referring Hypertensive Patients to Comprehensive Medication Management Services in Public Primary Health Care

Patient prioritization in comprehensive medication management services allows coordinating care and guiding patients according to their clinical profile and their medication use. The aim of the study is to identify and describe factors that indicate the need for comprehensive medication management services among primary care hypertension patients within a public health system from the perspective of patients, pharmacists, nurses and physicians. A qualitative study was carried out with interviews with nurses, pharmacists and physicians (n = 20), and two focus groups with hypertensive patients (n = 12) at primary health care facilities and a public outdoor fitness area between January and February 2019 in Brazil. All interviews were transcribed and analyzed using the Atlas.ti^® software. The data analysis revealed the following factors indicative of the need to refer hypertension patients to a pharmacist: lifestyle habits, comorbidities, health care utilization and medication use. The issues identified and the information obtained from the qualitative research and compared with literature studies reviewed allowed defining dimensions that should be considered as an aid in the selection of uncontrolled hypertensive patients for comprehensive medication management services.

O farmacêutico na Atenção Primária à Saúde no Brasil: análise comparativa 2014-2017

RESUMO O farmacêutico tem importante papel nas unidades de saúde da Atenção Primária à Saúde (APS). No entanto, ainda são escassos no Brasil estudos que abordem a influência do farmacêutico na rede assistencial de saúde. O artigo tem como objetivo verificar em que medida a inserção dos farmacêuticos nas Unidades Básicas de Saúde (UBS) do País está associada à ampliação de aspectos estruturais das farmácias e à disponibilidade de medicamentos. Trata-se de estudo transversal, retrospectivo e analítico, que utilizou dados secundários do 2º (2014) e 3º (2017) ciclos da avaliação externa do Programa de Melhoria de Acesso e da Qualidade da Atenção Básica (PMAQ-AB) e do Cadastro Nacional de Estabelecimentos de Saúde (CNES). Os resultados mostraram importante centralização na dispensação de medicamentos ao longo do 2º e 3ºs ciclos PMAQ-AB. Em contrapartida, identificou-se melhora nos aspectos estruturais nas farmácias das UBS e incremento tanto na disponibilidade média de medicamentos como no total de UBS com disponibilidade de medicamentos ≥80%. Tais avanços foram ainda maiores na existência de farmacêutico cadastrado na UBS. Evidenciou-se a relevância do farmacêutico na APS no Sistema Único de Saúde, uma vez que sua presença potencializa tanto a disponibilidade de medicamentos como também propicia melhores condições estruturais dos serviços de farmácia da APS.

The pharmacist in the Brazilian Primary Health Care: a comparative analysis between 2014 and 2017

ABSTRACT The pharmacist play a vital role in PHC. However, studies addressing how pharmacists influence the health care network are still scarce. We aim to verify to what extent the inclusion of pharmacists in PHC Units (UBS) in the country is associated with the expanded structural aspects of pharmacies and drug availability in Brazil. This cross-sectional, retrospective, and analytical study employed secondary data from cycles 2 (2014) and 3 (2017) of the external evaluation of the Improvement of Access and Quality of Primary Care Program (PMAQ-AB) and the National Register of Health Facilities (CNES) databases. The results showed an essential centralization in drug dispensing over PMAQ-AB cycles 2 and 3. In contrast, we identified an improvement in the structural aspects of the UBS pharmaceutical services and an increase in the mean drug availability and the total UBS with drug availability ≥ 80%. Such advances were even more significant in the presence of registered pharmacists at the UBS. We conclude by stating that the presence of pharmacists in the PHC of the Unified Health System (SUS) enhances drug availability and provides better structural conditions for PHC pharmacy services.

Medication adherence and persistence of psoriatic arthritis patients treated with biological therapy in a specialty pharmacy in Brazil: a prospective observational study

Background:

Pharmaceutical services in Brazil provide access, supply, and rational use of drugs for all population and an effort has been made to improve the quality of these services. Biological drugs are high-cost drugs supplied in Brazil that can inhibit disease progression and improve the quality of life of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients. However, some patients did not achieve therapeutic goals.

Objective:

To evaluate the medication adherence and persistence of PsA patients treated with tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (anti-TNF) drugs and their associated factors.

Methods:

A prospective observational study was performed at a single-specialty pharmacy in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Medication adherence, persistence, and clinical outcomes were evaluated at 12 months of follow-up. Medication persistence was historically compared to overall PsA patients treated in Brazil. Associated factors were identified through log-binomial regression.

Results:

One hundred ninety-seven PsA patients were included in the study, of whom 147 (74.6%) and 142 (72.1%) had medication adherence and persistence, respectively. Patients treated with infliximab presented the highest adherence (90.5%) and persistence rate (95.2%) in comparison to patients treated with other drugs, except for adalimumab versus infliximab for adherence outcome. All clinical measures significantly improved in patients with medication adherence and persistence. Medication persistence was higher for patients attended by specialty pharmacy than other PsA patients in Brazil. The associated factors to higher medication adherence were lower disease activity by BASDAI, being non-white race, and intravenous drug use. The associated factors to higher medication persistence were lower disease activity by Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Activity Index (BASDAI), intravenous drug use, non-use of corticoids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and comorbidity.

Conclusions:

Patients with medication adherence and persistence had significant improvements in clinical measures, functionality, and quality of life. High medication adherence and persistence to biological therapy were observed and associated with lesser disease activity at baseline. Also, medication persistence to PsA patients attended in specialty pharmacy was higher than the overall PsA population in Brazil, which indicates the importance of pharmaceutical services to provide health care and promote the effectiveness and safety of biological therapies.

The pharmacy workforce in public primary healthcare centers: promoting access and information on medicines

Background:

Only few studies have analyzed the pharmaceutical workforce in primary healthcare centers, and a global recommendation calls for better understanding of the trends that shape workforce development and capacity.

Objective:

To analyze the distribution of the pharmaceutical workforce in primary healthcare centers in the national health system [Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS)] in Brazil.

Methods:

The study was conducted using data from the National Survey on Access, Use and Promotion of Rational Use of Medicines in Brazil. Secondary data referring to the socioeconomic indicators of each municipality were obtained from national public databases. Data stratification in geographic regions was considered, and data on workers in the management of the municipal pharmaceutical services and medicines dispensing centers were analyzed. Crude and adjusted prevalence ratios were calculated by Poisson regression in the study investigating the factors associated with low and high-density pharmacists per 10,000 inhabitants.

Results:

The results showed that most Brazilian municipalities have a rate of 1 or more pharmacist per 10,000 inhabitants in primary healthcare public facilities, with a higher concentration of pharmacists in small municipalities. Even in Brazilian municipalities with lower economic capacity, the conditions of access to medicines and pertinent information on medicines were directly related to the number of pharmacists available in these centers.

Conclusions:

This study showed a high number of pharmacists in the public health system. The higher density of pharmacists in primary healthcare public facilities correlated to increased access to medicines information and better municipal social development.

The pharmacy workforce in public primary healthcare centers: promoting access and information on medicines

BACKGROUND

Only few studies have analyzed the pharmaceutical workforce in primary healthcare centers, and a global recommendation calls for better understanding of the trends that shape workforce development and capacity.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the distribution of the pharmaceutical workforce in primary healthcare centers in the national health system [Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS)] in Brazil.

METHODS

The study was conducted using data from the National Survey on Access, Use and Promotion of Rational Use of Medicines in Brazil. Secondary data referring to the socioeconomic indicators of each municipality were obtained from national public databases. Data stratification in geographic regions was considered, and data on workers in the management of the municipal pharmaceutical services and medicines dispensing centers were analyzed. Crude and adjusted prevalence ratios were calculated by Poisson regression in the study investigating the factors associated with low and high-density pharmacists per 10,000 inhabitants.

RESULTS

The results showed that most Brazilian municipalities have a rate of 1 or more pharmacist per 10,000 inhabitants in primary healthcare public facilities, with a higher concentration of pharmacists in small municipalities. Even in Brazilian municipalities with lower economic capacity, the conditions of access to medicines and pertinent information on medicines were directly related to the number of pharmacists available in these centers.

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed a high number of pharmacists in the public health system. The higher density of pharmacists in primary healthcare public facilities correlated to increased access to medicines information and better municipal social development.

Experiential education in the pharmacy undergraduate curricula in Brazil

Objective:

Considering the curriculum reform process taking place in pharmacy undergraduate programs in Brazil and the importance of practical experience to students throughout their learning process in university, this study aims to provide an overview of pharmacy undergraduate programs in Brazil and their respective internships.

Methods:

An observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study. A documentary analysis of pharmacy undergraduate programs in the face-to-face modality was carried out, with data obtained from the Political Pedagogical Projects of the programs, the curricula, and course descriptions containing information on internships, all provided by the Brazilian Ministry of Education. The data collected concerned higher education institutions (HEIs), pharmacy programs and internships.

Results:

Pharmacy undergraduate programs in Brazil have a median duration of 10 semesters, requiring from students a median of 6 internships, from the 6^th semester on, totalizing 826 hours. The programs lack uniformity among their internships, mainly regarding total hours and the semester in which internships start. The pharmacy internships cover, in greater number, the areas of outpatient and community pharmacy, clinical analysis, and pharmaceutical technology, respectively, being clinical analysis the area with more hours. Public and private HEIs have different internship proceedings in their curricula, hence no homogeneity among them in the different regions of Brazil.

Conclusions:

This study demonstrates the diversity of pharmacy programs in Brazil in the context of internships, reflecting on the training and the activity of pharmacists in recent decades. Further studies are needed to deepen the understanding of this theme.

Patient safety in primary health care and polypharmacy: cross-sectional survey among patients with chronic diseases

Objective:

to characterize and determine the polypharmacy prevalence in patients with chronic diseases and to identify the factors associated, in order to improvement of pharmaceutical care focused on patient safety.

Methods:

cross-sectional study included 558 patients, covered by primary health care, using a household and structured questionnaire. We analyzed the data on polypharmacy and its clinical and socioeconomic factors. Poisson regression analysis with robust variance was applied, with results expressed in prevalence ratio.

Results:

the results showed that polypharmacy (consumption of four or more drugs) was of 37.6%. The prevalence ratio analyses identified independent variables associated with polypharmacy: age (3.05), economic strata (0.33), way of medication acquisition through a combination of out-of-pocket and Brazilian public health system (1.44), diabetes and hypertension (2.11), comorbidities (coronary artery disease 2.26) and hospital admission (1.73). In the analyses, inappropriate medication use of the 278 patients (≥ 65 years) was associated with polypharmacy (prevalence ratio 4.04).

Conclusion:

polypharmacy study becomes an opportunity to guide the strategies for the patient safety to promote the medication without harm in chronic diseases.