Effect of therapeutic class on counseling in community pharmacies.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effect and importance of the therapeutic class of a drug as a determinant for verbal counseling by community pharmacists.


METHODS
Direct external observations (n = 1431) of pharmacist-customer interactions at the point of delivery of prescription medicines were conducted in 7 community pharmacies in Finland. Trained observers noted whether the pharmacist provided information on directions for use, mode of action, and adverse effects. To examine factors associated with counseling, a multiple logistic regression analysis was constructed, with the dependent variable being counseling of any of the 3 observed topics. In addition to therapeutic class, other independent variables were the pharmacy; pharmacist's age, gender, and degree; and the customer's age, gender, previous use of medicine, and question asking.


RESULTS
Provision of counseling differed significantly according to therapeutic classes. Counseling on any of the 3 observed topics was most likely to be provided for customers with antibiotics (80%) and least likely for customers with gynecologic preparations (18%). Differences between therapeutic classes remained statistically significant when the effects of the other variables were controlled for. Other significant predictors for any verbal counseling were the pharmacy, customer's previous use of the medicine, and question asking.


CONCLUSIONS
Therapeutic class is an important variable that should be included in further studies and considered when comparing studies on patient counseling in community pharmacies.
Vainio
Kirsti K
KK
Department of Social Pharmacy, University of Kuopio, PO Box 1627, FIN-70211 Kuopio, Finland. kirsti.vainio@uku.fi
Airaksinen
Marja S A
MS
Hyykky
Tarja T
TT
Enlund
K Hannes
KH
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000145:classification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000145:classification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D004512:Education, Pharmacy; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010594:Pharmacies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012737:Sex Factors
D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations