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PHARMACEUTICAL CARE AS A CHANCE OF IMPROVING HEALTH CARE IN AREAS WITH AN AVERAGE LEVEL OF URBANIZATION

MAGDALENA CERBIN-KOCZOROWSKA1,2, MAGDALENA WASZYK-NOWACZYK1*, KATARZYNA ODOR1, MICHAŁ MICHALAK3, SYLWIA PIOTROWSKA4, ARLETA MATSCHAY1, MAREK SIMON5, MARIAN MAJCHRZYCKI6

1.Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Pharmacy Practice Division, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 70 Bukowska Street, 60 - 812 Poznan, Poland
2.Department of Medical Education, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 79 Dabrowskiego Street, 60-529 Poznan, Poland
3.Department of Computer Science and Statistics, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 79 Dabrowskiego Street, 60 - 529 Poznan, Poland
4.Department of Spondyloorthopedics and Biomechanics of the Spine, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 28 Czerwca 1956 roku 135/147, 61 - 545 Poznan, Poland
5.Department of Pathophysiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland, 8 Rokietnicka Street, 60 - 806 Poznan, Poland
6.Department of Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 28 Czerwca 1956 roku 135/147, 61 - 545 Poznan, Poland

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The access to medical services in less developed areas is more limited than in areas with a high level of urbanization. One of the solutions expanding the availability of medical services in less developed areas can be the inclusion of pharmacists in the healthcare team. The aim of the study was to define the expectations, describe and compare attitudes of communities living in areas with varied demographics regarding the possibility of implementing pharmaceutical care (PC) as a part of primary health care. The study comprised patients (n = 516) from 3 different sub-regions of Greater Poland (Poland): Poznan, Ostrow Wielkopolski and Chodziez. Anonymous questionnaires were used to obtain respondents’ attitudes toward the investigated matter. The majority of respondents declared that their knowledge about the medications they were taking increased after pharmaceutical consultations. Residents of Poznan (86.21%) and Chodziez (79.35%) were most interested in the implementation of PC. Residents of Poznan (41.89%) were also most willing to pay for this type of care. However, the monetary value of PC is much lower for residents of Poznan than for residents of other cities. The favourable attitude of patients from less urbanized regions towards PC is a chance for its effective implementation and for the improvement of healthcare standards in small cities, which account for 82% of the total population of Greater Poland.