title: [Attitude of private pharmacists in the dispensation of asthma drugs].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite recommendations, asthma remains poorly controlled in many countries. Asthmatic patients see pharmacy staff regularly to obtain medications. The aim of this study was to evaluate the attitude of pharmacists in Burkina Faso about dispensing asthma drugs.
  
  
  METHODS
  A self-administered anonymous questionnaire was used to collect data in a descriptive cross-sectional study related to pharmacists' attitudes in the management of asthma in the city of Ouagadougou (November 2010-June 2011).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rate of participation of pharmacists in the study was 82.4%. Of the pharmacists surveyed, 70.1% reported having received asthma patients both during acute asthma exacerbations and when stable. Only 9% of pharmacists insisted on a prescription when asthma patients came to the pharmacy without one. A total of 73.6% of pharmacists explained and demonstrated how to use the spray to the patients. Among pharmacists who demonstrated how to use devices, only 6.7% actually checked patients' technique. Inhaler technique demonstration was done verbally in 68.8% of case. Among pharmacists, 34.5% reported a good mastery of inhaler techniques.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The techniques for dispensing asthma drugs are not well established among pharmacists and therefore the provision of continuous medical education to pharmacists is important.
authors.affiliation: Service de pneumologie, CHU Yalgado Ouédraogo, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Electronic address: gisebad@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Badoum
authors.affiliation: Service de pneumologie, CHU Point G, Bamako, Mali.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Toloba
authors.affiliation: Service de pneumologie, CHU Yalgado Ouédraogo, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Thiombiano
authors.affiliation: Service de pneumologie, CHU Yalgado Ouédraogo, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ouédraogo
authors.affiliation: Service de pneumologie, CHU Yalgado Ouédraogo, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ouédraogo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002050:Burkina Faso; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009330:Nebulizers and Vaporizers; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000523:psychology*; D057566:Self Report; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents
keywords: Asthma; Asthme; Drugs; Médicaments; Officine; Pharmaciens; Pharmacists; Pharmacy