Pharmaceutical Care for Visually

Impaired Patients

Ala Osama; Hoda Mohamady; Yousra Adel

Supervised By: Dr. Rana Ibrahim

University of Sharjah; College of Pharmacy

Introduction

The agency for Health care research and quality defines pharmacy health literacy as "the degree to which individuals are able to obtain, process, and understand basic health and medication information and pharmacy services needed to make appropriate health decisions".

The definition of vision impairment by the center for disease control and prevention (CDC) states that a visually impaired person's eyesight can't be corrected to a normal level.

According to WHO, the percentage of visual impairment globally is approximately 4.13%.

Objective

To heighten the level of awareness among pharmacists with regards to the necessities and concerns of patients with visual impairment and to establish and evolve strategies that optimally accustom these needs.

Review strategies to enhance medication compliance for patients with visual impairment.

Methods Study design: Cross sectional

study – observational study Limits: Visually impaired

individuals – the survey was restricted solely to those who attain access to the internet in addition social networks such as twitter.

A survey was provided to pharmacists in UAE to apprehend their methods of dealing with a visually impaired patient. An online questionnaire was sent for some visually impaired individuals to detect their concerns and problems, and explore solutions they suggest.

Pharmacists’ dataPharmacists’ data

Results: Pharmacists

Among the surveyed pharmacists, 40% had a previous encounter with a visually impaired patient, of which 35% handled the patients conventionally as with their respective peers while 65% gave a special consideration.

91% of the sample comprehend that visually impaired patients have the right to obtain the information they require in a suitable format.

Upon questioning about some special aids, 24.5% didn't have any knowledge or prior experience with them.

Always21%

Sometimes32%

Rare38%

Never9%

Figure 1: Frequency of visits of visually impaired patients to the pharmacy

Yes11%

No89%

Figure 2: Previous training on dealing with visually impaired patients

I have no idea, I will try to avoid communication

Communicate just like I usually do

Consider special communication skills

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Figure 3: Communication methods with a visually impaired patient in the pharmacy.

Dispense the drug without any counselling

Provide a leaflet in regular font

Print information in a large font

Send information by email

Record information (on mobile or recorder)

Provide the patient with a website

Ask the patient about the preferred way

Provide information to a caregiver

Advise the patient to use a magnifier

Provide a CD that has the information

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Figure 4: Providing drug information and counselling for visually impaired patients

Visually impaired individuals’ dataVisually impaired individuals’ data

Results: Visually impaired individuals: 39% go to the pharmacy with someone else, 35% ask someone to

go instead of them and 26% go alone. 65% never receive information from the pharmacist in a

suitable format, of which 43% never asked for it, 43% asked but the pharmacist didn't respond or couldn't provide it, and 14% had other reasons.

With regards to the special aids, 60.8% demonstrated prior knowledge about a multitude of them.

All individuals in the sample determined that this issue is paramount and requires advance attention from health authorities.

Yes87%

No13%

Figure 5: Do you feel that your visual impairment affects your privacy regarding your health condition?

Yes83%

No17%

Figure 6: Do you think you have the right to ask the phar-macist for information in a suitable format for you?

Nothing Ask someone to read it for

you

Go back to the pharmacy to

ask

Try to find it by myself

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Figure 7: If you need information about your medications, what do you usually do?

Braille leaflet / Braille labelers

Large font written information

Verbal counselling

Recorded information

Magnifyers / Magnifying glasses

Get Information sent by email

Websites

Get CD from the pharmacist

Free-toll service for drug information

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

Figure 8: Which of these you think can help visually impaired patients get the information they need?

Braille Labeler

Small device that allows easy typing of labels in

Braille language to

stick them on drug bottles

Color Detector

Device with speech

output of the color

detected upon

touching any object

ScripTalk Device that uses text-to-

speech technology to

read drug information

Talking Rx Small

recorder designed

specially to record

information about

medications for visually impaired patients

X-PIL

Specialized website that

provides information

in an accessible format, in addition to

free-toll service for

drug information

Conclusion

There is a need to increase the awareness and concentration about this important issue among the pharmacists.

There are some solutions to be applied and integrated as a part of the strategy of pharmaceutical care for visually impaired patients.

Recommendation

Based on the patients’ as well as the pharmacists’ responses we highly recommend the integration of the Braille labeler into the pharmacies. It is the most renowned device among the two parties.

Raise the awareness among the pharmacists with regards to the rights of the visually impaired individuals in acquiring the optimal pharmaceutical care.

Training to handle this group of patients should be implemented within the counseling programs of pharmacist.

References

Orrico, K. (2013). Caring for visually impaired patients. Journal of the

American Pharmacists Association: Japha, 53(3), e142-50.

doi:10.1331/JAPhA.2013.13514

Osborne, H. (2000). In other words... When vision is an issue...

communicating with patients who are visually impaired. On Call, 3(10),

38-39.

Dobbins, J. C. (2002). Counseling the blind and vision-impaired. Drug

Topics, 146(21), 15.

Pascolini, D., & Mariotti, S. (2012). Global estimates of visual impairment:

2010. British Journal of Ophthalmology, 96(5), 614-618.

doi:10.1136/bjophthalmol-2011-300539.

Thank You..

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