The Willingness of Community Pharmacists in Collaborative Care of Frail Elderly in Nursing Homes

Community Pharmacist and Frailty
Vol. 14 No. 2 : 2019 (142-153)

Mohd Faiz AL Mohd Faiz AL
Marhanis-Salihah O Marhanis-Salihah O

Abstract
An increase in the number of residents in nursing homes has become a significant concern due to the rise in medication demand and subsequently medication-related issues, especially in frail elderly. Community pharmacists are the closest healthcare professionals available that can contribute to this population to allow optimal utilization of the prescribed drugs and to prevent drug-related problems. The present study aimed to investigate the awareness of community pharmacists on issues regarding frail elderly and to determine their willingness in collaborative care of frail elderly in nursing homes and the services they are willing to offer. This was a cross-sectional study utilising a set of questionnaire that was delivered to practicing community pharmacists in Peninsular Malaysia from June 2018 until December 2018. Majority of the participants agreed to the fact that aging is the primary cause of frailty (n=98, 88.3%), and that chronic disease is also a cause of frailty (n=96, 86.5%). Most of the community pharmacists were also keen to participate in the collaborative care of frail elderly, and were willing to provide their pharmacy service to the frail elderly. There was a positive correlation between the awareness of community pharmacists on issues regarding frail elderly and their willingness on collaborative care of frail elderly in nursing homes (r=0.374, n=111, p=0.01). Majority of the pharmacists were aware of the issues regarding the frail elderly, and were willing to participate in the collaborative care of frail elderly in nursing home.
Keywords : elderly, medical health, medicine, nursing home, polypharmacy,
Abstrak
Peningkatan bilangan penghuni di rumah penjagaan telah menjadi salah satu kebimbangan utama disebabkan peningkatan permintaan ubat dan seterusnya isu-isu berkaitan ubat, terutama di kalangan orang tua yang lemah. Ahli farmasi komuniti adalah profesional penjagaan kesihatan terdekat yang boleh menyumbang kepada populasi ini untuk membolehkan penggunaan sepenuhnya ubat yang ditetapkan dan untuk mengelakkan masalah yang berkaitan dengan ubat. Kajian ini bertujuan untuk menyiasat kesedaran tentang ahli farmasi komuniti mengenai isu-isu mengenai warga tua yang lemah dan untuk menentukan kesediaan mereka dalam penjagaan kolaborasi warga tua yang lemah di rumah penjagaan dan perkhidmatan yang mereka tawarkan. Satu kajian berasaskan soal selidik ini dilakukan di kalangan ahli farmasi komuniti di Semenanjung Malaysia bermula dari Jun 2018 hingga Disember  2018. Majoriti responden bersetuju dengan hakikat penuaan adalah punca utama kelemahan (n = 98, 88.3%) dan penyakit kronik juga menyebabkan kelemahan (n = 96, 86.5%). Kebanyakan ahli farmasi komuniti juga berminat untuk mengambil bahagian dalam penjagaan kolaboratif warga tua yang lemah dan sanggup menyediakan perkhidmatan farmasi mereka kepada warga tua yang lemah. Terdapat kaitan positif antara kesedaran ahli farmasi komuniti mengenai isu-isu mengenai warga tua yang lemah dan kesanggupan mereka dalam penjagaan kolaborasi warga tua yang lemah di rumah penjagaan (r=0.374, n=111, p=0.01). Kebanyakan ahli farmasi menyedari isu-isu mengenai warga tua yang lemah dan bersedia untuk mengambil bahagian dalam penjagaan kolaborasi warga tua yang lemah di rumah penjagaan.
Kata Kunci : kesihatan, polifarmasi, rumah jagaan, ubatan, warga emas,

Correspondance Address
Marhanis-Salihah Omar. Centre of Quality Management of Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel: +603-9289 8055 Email: marhanis@ukm.edu.my