Impact of coaching by community pharmacists on drug attitude of depressive primary care patients and acceptability to patients; a randomized controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether an intervention by Dutch community pharmacists improves the drug attitude of depressive patients, who are prescribed a nontricyclic antidepressant by their general practitioner (GP).


METHODS
A randomized controlled trial with a 3-month follow-up was conducted among consecutive general practice patients who go to 19 pharmacists for antidepressants. The trial consisted of a control group (n=79) that received usual care and an intervention group (n=69) that received three drug coaching contacts at the pharmacy and a 25-min take-home video on the background of depression and the effects of medication.


METHODS
Drug attitude (DAI).


RESULTS
At the baseline measurement there were no significant differences between the intervention and control group on any demographic and health status variables or on clinical symptoms. At the 3-month follow-up intervention patients had a better drug attitude (P=0.03) than their controls and evaluated the coaching of their pharmacist as more positive. They also felt the video to be useful. It had changed their ideas about medication.


CONCLUSIONS
Coaching by community pharmacists is an effective way to improve drug attitude of depressive primary care patients and it is acceptable to them.
Brook
Oscar
O
International Health Foundation, Utrecht, The Netherlands. obrook@ihf.nl
van Hout
Hein
H
Nieuwenhuyse
Hugo
H
Heerdink
Eibert
E
D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001290:Attitude; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010595:Pharmacists; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000928:Antidepressive Agents