Pharmacist counselling improves life of diabetes mellitus patients

Sachin Jagdale

A study conducted on diabetes mellitus patients has proved that counselling from pharmacists significantly improved quality of life of these patients when compared to the control group. The research paper titled 'Effect of patient counselling on quality of life in type-2 diabetes mellitus patients in two selected south Indian community pharmacies', was published in the July-August 2007 issue of Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and covered the influence of pharmacist provided patient counselling on patient's perception about disease management and quality of life in type-2 diabetes mellitus patients. The study was a randomised, prospective controlled study conducted over a period of six months in two community pharmacies in Calicut, Kerala, India.

70 type-2 diabetes mellitus patients (48 males and 22 female) were enrolled and randomised into test and control groups. Out of these, two expired; four patients were hospitalised and four did not respond. The remaining 60 patients completed all follow ups. Patients in the test group received patient counselling and patient information leaflets from the pharmacist, where as the control group patients received counselling and patient information leaflets only at the end of the study. After the baseline, two follow ups were made with 60 days interval between the follow-ups. During each visit, patient's random capillary blood glucose was measured by using a standard glucometre.

Audit of diabetes dependent quality of life questionnaire was administered to measure the quality of life in both control and test group patients at each follow up. At the end of the study it was found that knowledge, attitude and practices scores markedly improved in test group patients. The result of the study suggests that

pharmacist provided patient counselling has an impact in improving the perception about disease, diet and lifestyle changes and in turn on glycaemic control and overall quality of life in diabetic patients. Thus, pharmacist provided patient counselling might be considered an important element in implementing disease management programs.

sachin.jagdale@expressindia.com