Evaluation of patient's quality of counselling in the context of diabetes treatment by community pharmacists for Public Health

Abstract

Providing Patient Counseling (PC) may be beneficial in enhancing disease treatment results, especially for chronic illnesses like Diabetes Mellitus (DbM), which is prevalent in underdeveloped countries. This research aims to examine the counseling and contentment levels of patients who visit diabetes clinics in Community Pharmacies (CP), intending to contribute to the field of Public Health (PH). This research aimed to evaluate the efficacy of PC services offered to individuals with DbM. In this cross-sectional research, a patient simulation technique was used with an organized survey of 560 CPs chosen to offer primary healthcare. The survey has been split into three sections: demographics, PC methods used during prescription collection, and satisfaction assessment of the services rendered. The results revealed that PC was offered for taking medication among patients with type 1 DbM, but it was lacking for patients with type 2 DbM. Patients were provided with insufficient counseling on the potential adverse effects and the need to adopt a healthier lifestyle. The degree of satisfaction was a mere 20.2%, suggesting that there may be a deficiency in PC services. The investigation has shown inadequate PC procedures and low levels of contentment in the services offered by CP to patients with DbM. Given the rising occurrence of DbM and the presence of other medical conditions, it is crucial to provide PCs with DbM.