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A focus group based study of the perspectives of the Maltese population and healthcare professionals on medication wastage

  • Research Article
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International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background The World Health Organization states that globally more than half of all medication is inappropriately prescribed, dispensed or sold with a need to implement wastage reduction strategies. Developing processes which include behaviour change theories, such as the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF), significantly impacts the positive implementation of evidence into healthcare practice. Objective To describe and understand the beliefs and behaviours regarding medication wastage of the Maltese public and healthcare professionals (HCPs) and to explore potential solutions. Setting: Malta. Method Five 90 min audio recorded focus groups (2 public and 3 HCPs) were conducted with a purposive sample who responded to a previous survey study and were willing to participate in focus groups in Malta. The guide was based upon the TDF with interview questions derived from findings of the questionnaire phase. Focus groups were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Analysis was carried using the framework approach. Main outcome measure Beliefs and behaviours regarding medication wastage and potential solutions to reduce medication wastage. Results A total of eleven pharmacists, six doctors and six members of the public consented to participate. Focus groups conducted with HCPs and the general public identified the following four key themes aligned with the TDF domains to address proposed solutions to minimise medication wastage: (1) practitioner effects; (2) patients effects; (3) political effects; (4) societal effects. Conclusion This study has employed a theoretical framework to obtain a better understanding of facilitators which require attention as part of strategic development.

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Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge those who participated in the focus groups.

Funding

The research work carried out was fully funded by the Malta Government Scholarship Scheme.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Health and Social Care, School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, UK

    Lorna Marie West, Lesley Diack & Derek Stewart

  2. Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Msida, Malta

    Maria Cordina

Authors
  1. Lorna Marie West
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  2. Lesley Diack
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  3. Maria Cordina
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  4. Derek Stewart
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lorna Marie West.

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Conflicts of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest. This study formed part of the author’s submission for PhD. The scholarship had no influence on study design, conduction, analysis, interpretation or writing of this article.

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West, L.M., Diack, L., Cordina, M. et al. A focus group based study of the perspectives of the Maltese population and healthcare professionals on medication wastage. Int J Clin Pharm 38, 1241–1249 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11096-016-0359-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11096-016-0359-5

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