A focus group based study of the perspectives of the Maltese population and healthcare professionals on medication wastage.

West, Lorna Marie; Diack, Lesley; Cordina, Maria; Stewart, Derek

Abstract

The World Health Organization states that globally more than half of all medication is inappropriately prescribed, dispensed or sold with a need to implement wastage reduction strategies. Developing processes which include behaviour change theories, such as the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF), significantly impacts the positive implementation of evidence into healthcare practice. Objective To describe and understand the beliefs and behaviours regarding medication wastage of the Maltese public and healthcare professionals (HCPs) and to explore potential solutions. Setting: Malta. Method Five 90 min audio recorded focus groups (2 public and 3 HCPs) were conducted with a purposive sample who responded to a previous survey study and were willing to participate in focus groups in Malta. The guide was based upon the TDF with interview questions derived from findings of the questionnaire phase. Focus groups were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Analysis was carried using the framework approach. Main outcome measure Beliefs and behaviours regarding medication wastage and potential solutions to reduce medication wastage. Results A total of eleven pharmacists, six doctors and six members of the public consented to participate. Focus groups conducted with HCPs and the general public identified the following four key themes aligned with the TDF domains to address proposed solutions to minimise medication wastage: (1) practitioner effects; (2) patients effects; (3) political effects; (4) societal effects. Conclusion This study has employed a theoretical framework to obtain a better understanding of facilitators which require attention as part of strategic development.

Citation

WEST, L.M., DIACK, L., CORDINA, M. and STEWART, D. 2016. A focus group based study of the perspectives of the Maltese population and healthcare professionals on medication wastage. International journal of clinical pharmacy [online], 38(5), pages 1241-1249. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11096-016-0359-5

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 12, 2016
• Online Publication Date: Jul 29, 2016
• Publication Date: Oct 31, 2016
• Deposit Date: Aug 29, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 30, 2017
• Journal: International journal of clinical pharmacy
• Print ISSN: 2210-7703
• Electronic ISSN: 2210-7711
• Publisher: Springer
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 38
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 1241-1249
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11096-016-0359-5
• Keywords: Awareness; Behaviour; Focus groups; Healthcare professionals; Malta; Medication wastage
• Public URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10059/1597