Community pharmacy-based implementation of a diabetes risk assessment tool

Abstract

        The objective of this study was to determine the implementation of DM risk assessment tool for Thai population in community pharmacy.         This descriptive study was undertaken in a community pharmacy in Prachuab Khiri Khan Province. Diabetes risk assessment and advisory services were provided by a pharmacist. Participants were the pharmacy’s customers aged 34 years of over without a history of diabetes and determined to taken part after viewing the program advertisement poster located in front of the pharmacy. A risk score for predicting incident diabetes in the Thai population was used as a tool to assess the individual’ s diabetes risk. Those with high score, which reflected a very high risk to diabetes, were offered a self-check of his/her fasting capillary blood glucose(CBG). A referral was made for those with CBG ≥ 126 mg/dL.
        The results showed that there were 56 participants, with the mean age of 46 years, during one month study period. Most (73.2%) of them
were females. Based on the risk score, 28.6% were identified as having a very high risk to diabetes. A self-check fasting CBG in these very high risk individuals revealed that nine had CBG 100-125 mg/dL, which indicated a pre-diabetes condition. One had CBG ≥ 126 mg/dL and was subsequently diagnosed as diabetes after referring to see a physician. Of the remaining, two had CBG < 100 mg/dL and the rest four did not have their CBG measured. Considering the service satisfaction, 87.5% of the participants satisfied with the service received.
        Diabetes risk assessment service in community pharmacy setting was well accepted by the pharmacy’s customers. This is a simple and suitable approach to identify high risk individuals which may in turn deliver public health benefits.