A Comparative Exploration of Community Pharmacists’ Views on the Nature and Management of Over-the-Counter (OTC) and Prescription Codeine Misuse in Three Regulatory Regimes : Ireland, South Africa and the United Kingdom

Carney, Tara and Wells, John and Bergin, Michael and Dada, Siphokazi and Foley, Michelle and McGuiness, Padraig and Rapca, Anna and Rich, Eileen and Van Hout, Marie Claire (2016) A Comparative Exploration of Community Pharmacists’ Views on the Nature and Management of Over-the-Counter (OTC) and Prescription Codeine Misuse in Three Regulatory Regimes : Ireland, South Africa and the United Kingdom. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 14 (4). pp. 351-369. ISSN 1557-1874

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Abstract

Misuse of codeine containing preparations is a public health concern given the potential for associated harms and dependence. This study explores the perspectives of community pharmacists in three regulatory regimes on issues of customer misuse of over-the-counter (OTC) and prescribed codeine. A qualitative design comprising six focus groups (n = 45) was conducted in Ireland, United Kingdom, South Africa. Transcripts were analysed using the constant comparative method of content analysis. Pharmacists described popular codeine-containing products and the need for improved medicine information and warning labels. Issues around legitimate availability of codeine and regulatory status; presence of therapeutic need; difficulties in customer–pharmacist communication; business environments and retail focus were raised. Participants also discussed how they identified customers potentially misusing codeine and difficulties in relationships between pharmacists and prescribers. A number of recommendations were put forward as ways to manage the issues. The study highlights the difficulties encountered by community pharmacists operating under various regulatory regimes when supplying codeine containing preparations in negotiating patient awareness and compliance and potential ways to deal with misuse and dependence.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	Funding Information: A series of focus groups with community pharmacists were conducted in each country in order to provide in-depth information on the similarities and differences relating to community pharmacy practitioner roles in identification of customer misuse of prescribed and OTC codeine containing preparations, efforts to enhance patient awareness of risks and manage patient compliance, and support those individuals experiencing problematic use and dependence. Ethical approval was sought and given by the research ethics committees of Waterford Institute of Technology in Ireland; King’s College London in the UK and the Medical Research Council of South Africa. This study is part of a larger European Union funded research project called CODEMISUSED. Funding Information: The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme FP7/2007-2013 under grant agreement no 611736. The authors wish to acknowledge Mariam Deldar, Christine Pyke and Jillian Glynn for their role in transcribing the interviews, as well as the pharmacists that participated in the focus groups. Publisher Copyright: © 2016, Springer Science+Business Media New York.
Uncontrolled Keywords:	/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/2700/2738
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Depositing User:	Admin SSL
Date Deposited:	19 Oct 2022 23:03
Last Modified:	17 Jul 2023 07:40
URI:	http://repository-testing.wit.ie/id/eprint/3831

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