|
Pharmacists Discover Men At Risk By Using Men’s Health Risk Assessment Tool
Nashville, Tennessee - October 18, 2002 It has been known for a long time that many men are reluctant to see a physician. Preliminary results of the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) Men’s Health Study show that pharmacists can play a valuable role in discovering men at risk for various diseases and in getting men to see a physician when warranted.
The outcomes study, being conducted by the University of Oklahoma College of Pharmacy (OU), is part of the larger NCPA Men’s Health Care Initiative, which is supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Pfizer Inc. The initiative focuses on educating men about their potential health risks and improving patient outcomes through community pharmacist interventions.
Pharmacists at eighteen independent pharmacies and six chain drugstores surveyed men using the Men’s Health Risk Assessment Tool (MHRAT) and have submitted their preliminary results for the study. These pharmacies are located across the United States. The preliminary data represent the study results of 154 of the more than 400 men who participated.
Pharmacists screened patients for potential health problems using the MHRAT, which was designed especially for use in the NCPA Men’s Health Care Initiative. Based on previously validated survey instruments, the MHRAT identifies men at risk from hypertension, cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, prostate enlargement, prostate cancer, erection difficulties, testosterone deficiency, colon cancer, depression, and vaccinations to prevent respiratory infections.
The preliminary study results revealed the following previously unidentified health problems:
- 33 percent of the men were hypertensive
- 64 percent of the men either had or were at risk for high cholesterol
- 50 percent were at risk for diabetes
- 40 percent of men were overdue for prostate cancer screening
- 31 percent were overdue for a colon cancer screening
- 24 percent reported erectile dysfunction serious enough to meet the criteria for referral to a physician
- 45 percent reported symptoms suggestive of low testosterone blood levels
In addition, 18 percent of men had not visited a physician in over five years.
The University of Oklahoma study funded by NCPA examines whether pharmacists are able to influence men with health risks to see a physician for a physical examination and possible treatment.
Participating pharmacists screened many men to find those with health risks willing to enter the study. These men were randomly assigned to the study or control group. Men in the study group receive biweekly telephone calls for eight weeks from the pharmacist to encourage them to make an appointment and see their physician.
The control patients are interviewed by the pharmacist at the end of the eight week follow up period to see if they complied with their pharmacist’s recommendations. Both groups will be surveyed to learn the outcome of their physical if they kept their appointment.
"Sometimes we have to take the medicine to the men rather than wait for the men to go to the doctor," said participating pharmacist Mark Henegar of Clinton Drug Store in Clinton, Tennessee.
The project’s director, Thomas Boyle, states: "One-third of American men have not had a checkup in the past year and nine million have not seen a physician in five years. The preliminary results of this study show that pharmacists can be instrumental in getting men to see a doctor and receive treatment."
"These preliminary results are exciting," said NIPCO Executive Director Kathryn Kuhn. "The preliminary data suggests to us that pharmacists can help men by identifying risks to their health and actively pushing them to get a physical examination. Furthermore, with proper referral to a physician, men are able to receive treatment for these conditions and live a healthier, more satisfying life. Data like this underscore the importance of the pharmacist as part of the health care team."
Final results of the Men’s Health Outcomes Study are expected from OU later this year.
The National Institute for Pharmacist Care Outcomes, launched by NCPA in 1995, is the national accrediting organization for pharmacist care education and training programs leading to the Pharmacist Care Diplomate credential and a leading authority in helping community pharmacists develop new market niches in disease management.
The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) represents the pharmacist owners, managers, and employees of nearly 25,000 independent community pharmacies across the country. The nation’s independent pharmacies, independent pharmacy franchises, and independent chains dispense nearly half of the nation's three billion retail prescription medicines and account for more than $50 billion in prescription drug sales each year.
Deleisa Johnson
Vice President, Communications
National Community Pharmacists Association
205 Daingerfield Rd Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 683-8200
Deleisa.Johnson@ncpanet.org |
