Pharmacist Provided Intervention (Education and Medication Review) in Osteoarthritis

Pharmacist Provided Intervention in Osteoarthritis: Community Pharmacies Based Trial

The purpose of this study is to initiate pharmacist intervention (educational and medication review) among osteoarthritis patients visiting community pharmacies.

Community pharmacists are one of the most accessible health care professionals for patient care in chronic diseases including osteoarthritis and can provide patient education, conduct medication review, and collaborate with the multidisciplinary pain management team, to improve treatment outcomes and quality of life. Studies have reported that pharmacist-provided intervention was beneficial as it increased patients' knowledge of osteoarthritis, reduced the rates of adverse events associated with analgesics, and improved self-perceived health and function. So this study aims to provide intervention through community pharmacists.

Potential patients will be identified from community pharmacies and consent will be obtained from patients before enrolling them in the study. The study will be a cluster-randomized trial. Thus pharmacies will be randomized, either to control or treatment group. Patients in the treatment group will receive the pharmacist-initiated intervention while in the control group will receive usual care.

The intervention will be an education on osteoarthritis, its management, and self-care activities followed by a medication review. Pharmacists assess patients' knowledge of medication indication, identify adverse effects or drug-related problems, and counsel patients on proper medication use.

Education intervention will be provided through face-to-face communication at the time of enrollment and a leaflet will be provided. The patient will receive a phone call and will be able to view the video in the succeeding weeks to enforce the intervention.

Outcome measures will be assessed at baseline, three months, and six months from enrolment in both treatment and control groups.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patient aged 18 years and above with the complaint of osteoarthritis
• Patient willing to participate in the study
• Patient with chronic pain (persisting for more than three months)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patient unable to provide the consent due to severe mental health, cognitive impairment or learning difficulties
• Patient with a terminal illness
• Patient having sufficient knowledge on osteoarthritis, its management and self-care activities as assessed from the questionnaire (respond correctly to 80% of the question or above)