| Popis: |
Background: Many people in Australia consult pharmacists as the first point ofcontact when seeking medical advice, therefore it is important that the pharmacist canappropriately decide whether to provide an over-the-counter treatment or advise aconsultation with a doctor.Methods: A questionnaire was administered to clients at eighteen communitypharmacies in Perth, Western Australia over 15 weeks. Seventy-four clients seekingover-the-counter treatment for haemorrhoids were invited to complete an anonymous,previously validated questionnaire based on symptoms of colorectal disease.Results: A response rate of 63.5% was recorded; respondents had a mean age of 43years. More than half the respondents presented with rectal bleeding, the majorityindicating that the blood was mixed with the stool. 40% of respondents indicated thatthey had experienced a change in bowel habit, which had persisted for over a monthin most (66.7%) cases. Twenty percent of those surveyed presented with slime and /or blood in their bowel motion, and almost one in three presented with abdominalpain. Respondents’ attitudes to completing the questionnaire were overwhelminglypositive.Conclusions: The symptomatic profiles of clients who present with anorectalsymptoms suggest that there are a significant proportion of clients who may benefitfrom medical consultation to rule out underlying conditions such as colorectal cancer.Responses from participants also suggest that the questionnaire model for obtainingsymptomatic information from clients is a useful and acceptable intervention in acommunity pharmacy setting. |
