title: Non-prescription medicines for pain and fever--a comparison of recommendations and counseling from staff in pharmacy and general sales stores.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study is to map and analyze the content and quality of the encounter when customers buy non-prescription medicines for pain and fever.
  
  
  METHODS
  297 pharmacies and 801 general sales stores (GSS) in Sweden were selected. A "Mystery shopper" exercise was conducted. Three scenarios were used and a total of 366 units were selected for each scenario. There were in total 625 observers: 208 in the child with fever scenario, 225 in the Reliv scenario, and 192 in the painkiller during pregnancy scenario.
  
  
  METHODS
  21st September to 20th November 2011.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In two out of three visits to GSS, the staff proposed a medicine for a heavily pregnant woman. The staff suggested in 9% of the visits a medicine that is inappropriate in late pregnancy. The corresponding percentage in pharmacies was 1%. Both pharmacies and GSS proposed, in 6% a medicine that is inappropriate for babies to a feverish child. Only 16% of the pharmacists and 14% of the staff in GSS asked for the age of the child. General sales staff recommended in 10% ibuprofen and in 4% an acetylsalicylic acid product when an acetaminophen preparation was requested. The corresponding percentage in the pharmacy were 4% ibuprofen, 2% diclofenac, and 1% an acetylsalicylic acid product.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The staff in GSS and pharmacies do not pay sufficient attention to the heterogeneity of painkillers, which lead to inappropriate recommendations.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Rational Use of Medicines, Medical Products Agency, P.O. Box 26, SE-751 03, Uppsala, Sweden. carola.bardage@mpa.se
authors.forename: Carola
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bardage
authors.forename: Tommy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Westerlund
authors.forename: Sahra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barzi
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bernsten
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058633:Antipyretics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001241:Aspirin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D003132:Commerce / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000075202:Contraindications; D003376:Counseling / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007052:Ibuprofen / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007223:Infant; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010594:Pharmacies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011247:Pregnancy; D013548:Sweden
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D058633:Antipyretics; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs; D000082:Acetaminophen; D001241:Aspirin; D007052:Ibuprofen