Counseling on Health Promotion to Patients with Dyspepsia in Community Pharmacies

Abstract

Health related behavior may promote patients to have symptoms of dyspepsia. So modification of the life style behavior is very important for treatment of dyspepsia. The objective of this study was to determine the role of pharmacists’ counseling on health promotion to change the behavior of patients with dyspepsia. The study was conducted in the University pharmacies, Mahasarakham Province, during June to December 2005. Pharmacists interviewed for symptoms, screened the alarm symptoms, dispensed the medications and counseled by emphasizing to change the behavior. Satisfaction about the services was assessed after 2 weeks follow-up. Fifty-one patients were participated in the study. Most of them were female, 76.5%. The average of age was 23.9±9.9 years. Ulcer-like dyspepsia was found in most of the patients, 86.3%. The average duration of dyspepsia was 1.9±2.2 years. It was 33.3% who had the family history of dyspepsia. Seventy four point five percent came to the community pharmacy to treat dyspepsia only one time. Most of them received cimetidine (78.4%). Most of the alarm symptoms were awakening pain (29.4%). Behavior that promote the symptoms of dyspepsia were "did not eat on time” (49.0%), "did not exercise” (49.0%), stress (47.1%), and inappropriate food (43.1%). Patients changed some behavior such as eating on time (66.7%) and taking appropriate food (33.3%). Most of patients had the knowledge (76.2%). Half of the patients changed the behavior, 52.4%. The average of satisfaction score was 3.3±0.7.