[An evaluation of the information for the patient in pharmacies].
OBJECTIVE
To study the nature of the information that is supplied by pharmacies in Bizkaia to their patients and the factors impinging on this information.


METHODS
Crossover study of a sample of users of pharmacies. SITE. The research was done in 10 representative community pharmacies in the province of Bizkaia, included in which were rural and urban pharmacies.


METHODS
19,875 patients who used these pharmacies during the month of the study (May, 1991).


METHODS
The information given the patient by the pharmacist was analyzed, as to whether the request came from the patient him/herself or not and as to the subject matter of this information.


RESULTS
The pharmacist gave information to 4,162 of the 19,875 people observed, i.e. 1 in every 5 patients. More information was exchanged as a result of patients' request (69.17% of all the information given) than the pharmacist's volunteering it (30.38%). These figures constituted 14.48% and 6.45% respectively of the total number of people using the pharmacies during this month. The greatest number of requests for information by patients was concerning illnesses and their treatment: 22.4% of all the information.


CONCLUSIONS
Information is given in pharmacies concerning health questions. However a mechanism needs to be found so that this information is of sufficient scope to contribute towards greater efficiency of treatment and health programmes.
Agirre Lekue
M C
MC
Colegio Oficial de Farmacéuticos de Bizkaia.
del Arco Ortiz de Zarate
J
J
García de Vicuña Landa
B
B
Gorostiza Hormaetxe
I
I
Ruiz Golvano
J
J
Ortiz de Zarate
J A
JA
D003157:Community Pharmacy Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013030:Spain; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data