title: Characterisation of patient encounters in community pharmacies (with special focus on self-medication).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To characterise patient encounters during routine drug dispensing in community pharmacies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional survey in community pharmacies (Belgium).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-four per cent of all encounters (N = 1650) concerned patients carrying a prescription, of which 39% were prescriptions for new medication and 61% were repeat prescriptions. In 62% of all encounters, patients asked for non-prescribed medication. Almost one-third of self-medication requests related to special patient populations (mainly children and elderly). CONCLUSIONS : Many encounters related to self-medication, and a substantial number of these self-medication requests concerned vulnerable patient populations.
authors.affiliation: Pharmaceutical Care Unit, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Leen
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Bolle
authors.forename: Els
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mehuys
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Christiaens
authors.forename: Inge
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Van Tongelen
authors.forename: Jean-Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Remon
authors.forename: Koen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Boussery
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010594:Pharmacies; D012651:Self Medication
keywords: community pharmacy; non-prescription medicines; pharmacovigilance; prescribed medicines; primary care