Evaluations of Outpatients Proper Use of Insulin Injections and Counseling by Pharmacist in Nopparat Rajathanee Hospital

Abstract

Introduction: For diabetic patients treated with insulin, the specific administration techniques of insulin is required knowledge. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of pharmacist’s counseling on insulin use, including administration technique, knowledge in diabetes mellitus and insulin administration, and monitoring HbA1c as well as assess patient’s opinions on pharmacist's counseling. Methods: The quasi-experimental study was done in diabetic outpatients at Nopparat Rajathanee Hospital, who used insulin injections with syringe or penfill (NovoPen^® 3). The evaluation was conducted before and after pharmacist’s counseling. Paired t-test was used to analyze data. Results: Seventy insulin-requiring patients were recruited. These patients were divided into a syringe use group (n=35) and a penfill use group (n=35). The results showed that the mean age of patients was 61.1 ± 12.3 years (syringe) and 55.7 ± 11.2 years (penfill). Most of the patients have hypertension as their co-morbidity. Most of thr member of each group were type 2 diabetes mellitus, and had diabetics for 13.7 ± 7.8 years (syringe) and 14.0 ± 7.2 years (penfill). Patients had been treated with insulin for 3.8 ± 3.7 years (syringe) and 5.4 ± 4.6 years (penfill). The evaluation indicated that the pharmacist’s counseling had significant effects on insulin administration technique, knowledge in diabetes mellitus and insulin administration (p<0.001). Both groups had no significant reduction of the HbA1C mean. Most of patients in the syringe group (80.0%) and a penfill group (62.9%) agreed that pharmacist’s counseling on insulin administration is necessary. Conclusion: Pharmacist’s counseling on insulin administration was necessary for increasing knowledge of insulin administration technique as well as disease and medication use.