THE ROLES OF PHARMACISTS IN CARE OPTIMIZATION FOR SCHIZOPHRENIC PATIENTS IN FEDERAL NEURO-PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL MAIDUGURI, NORTH-EASTERN NIGERIA

THE ROLES OF PHARMACISTS IN CARE OPTIMIZATION FOR SCHIZOPHRENIC PATIENTS IN FEDERAL NEURO-PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL MAIDUGURI, NORTH-EASTERN NIGERIA

Abstract:

Provision of pharmaceutical care to patients suffering from schizophrenia posses special challenges due to complexity of the disease state, stigmatization and the side effects associated with antipsychotics. The aim of this study was to evaluate the roles of pharmacists in care optimization for schizophrenic patients. The perception of schizophrenic patients to the roles of pharmacists in care optimization was evaluated under 3 domains: managing therapy, interpersonal relationship and general satisfaction. A total of 160 patients were asked to rate their perception of pharmacists’ roles in care optimization by scoring from one (1) to five (5), with 5 indicating the highest score. Their perception was evaluated and results were described using percentages. Furthermore, the association of socio- demographic characteristics of schizophrenic patients with their perception of pharmacists’ roles in care optimization was determined using logistic regression. Additionally, the perception of other health care professionals of pharmacists’ roles in care optimization for schizophrenic patients was evaluated using a self administered questionnaire of a five point likert scale (strongly disagreed, disagreed, undecided, agreed and strongly agreed). Results were presented in percentages. Also, the extent to which pharmacists perform their roles regarding care optimization was also evaluated using a self administered questionnaire consisting of a five point likert scale (never, rarely, sometimes, most of the time and always) and results were also presented in percentages. It was found that a little over half of schizophrenic patients interviewed had poor perception of pharmacists’ roles in care optimization. However, there was no significant difference between the proportion of schizophrenic patients that perceived the roles of pharmacists as being good and those that perceived it as being poor (x2 =2.500, p=0.114, df=1). In the different domains on the perception of schizophrenic patients, managing therapy had the least score (48.6%). vii Socio-demographic characteristics of schizophrenic patients such as age, gender and marital status do not show significant correlation with the perception of pharmacists’ roles in care optimization while level of education: secondary level of education (p=0.001), tertiary level of education (p= 0.001) showed significant correlation and the odd to perceive the role of pharmacists increases with increasing level of education (Primary; OR= 1.471, Secondary; OR= 4.927, Tertiary; OR=7.293). Majority of other health care professionals positively perceived pharmacists role in care optimization for schizophrenic patients with significant difference (p≤ 0.05) across all assessed items. Pharmacists reported varying degrees of involvement in care optimization for schizophrenic patients, including – rarely, sometimes and most of the time. It can therefore be concluded that a little over half of schizophrenic patients had poor perceptions of the roles of pharmacists in care optimization. Level of education was the only socio-demographic characteristic with significant correlation to schizophrenic patients’ perceptions. Other health care professionals positively perceived the roles of pharmacists in care optimization for schizophrenic patients. Majority of the pharmacists were sometimes or most of the times involved in care optimization for schizophrenic patients, while only a few proportion of the pharmacists were always involved in care optimization in the different aspects.

THE ROLES OF PHARMACISTS IN CARE OPTIMIZATION FOR SCHIZOPHRENIC PATIENTS IN FEDERAL NEURO-PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL MAIDUGURI, NORTH-EASTERN NIGERIA