In this study the investigators aim to evaluate the impact of a community pharmacy-based program to educate type 2 diabetic patients about medications, life style and self-care.
Diabetes mellitus type 2 is a progressive metabolic disorder that leads to several morbidities and increased mortality and costs. Studies showed that strict control of blood glucose in diabetic patients reduces patients' risk of microvascular complications. Community pharmacies are a well-placed healthcare facility located at the heart of the community with convenient access to pharmacists as health care professionals. Some studies have shown effective interventions led by community and clinical pharmacist in developed countries. In developing countries, little evidence exists about feasibility of implementing community pharmacy-based services to promote medications adherence, self glucose monitoring and self-care in diabetic patients. This study is a 2 arm randomized controlled trial. Eligible patients are referred to the community pharmacy from an endocrinologist's office. Of 135 type-2 diabetic patients who will be recruited in the study,68 will be randomly allocated to the intervention arm using telephone balanced blocked randomization method. A community pharmacy-based program will provide training about medications, life style and self-care to the intervention arm. The control arm (67 patients) will receive usual care during the study period. The primary outcome of this study is measured as change in hemoglobin A1C pre and post intervention. As the secondary outcome, medications adherence, diabetes self-care activity, body mass index and blood pressure are measured.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
101
A trained pharmacist will counsel each patient based on his/her individual needs about medications, life style and self-care. The pharmacist will use a checklist to document the type of education delivered to each patient. A glucometer is provided for each patient in this arm to monitor blood glucose daily. Three to six visits to the community pharmacy are set during the 6-months study period. At each visit, medication related problems and self-care issues are discussed with the patient and the glucometer test strips are provided for the following month. A telephone call will be made to each patient between visits to ensure adherence to drug therapy and resolve any problems .
The baseline and 6-month follow-up visits to the community pharmacy will be required. If the physician prefers more visits to his office during the study period, it will be granted. The glucometer and a training session about diabetes self-care will be provide at the end of study for control group patients.
Taleghani Community Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences
Tehran, Tehran Province, Iran
Hemoglobin A1c
Hemoglobin A1c is measured in all patients prior to participating in the study. All patients will be required to take the test again at the end of the study (6 months) .
Time frame: Change from baseline (at the point of recruiting) Hemoglobin A1c at 6 months.
Medication adherence
Medication adherence will be measured using "Morisky Medication Adherence Questionnaire" which will be translated into Farsi.The validity and reliability of the translated questionnaire will be investigated primarily.
Time frame: Change from baseline (at the point of recruiting) medication adherence at 6 months.
Self-care activity
Self-care activity will be measured using "Diabetes Self-care Activity Measure" questionnaire which will be translated into Farsi. We will investigate the validity and reliability of the translated questionnaire.
Time frame: Change from baseline (at the point of recruiting) Self-care activity at 6 months.
Body Mass Index
Weight (measured in kilograms) divided by square of height (measured in Meters).
Time frame: Change from baseline (at the point of recruiting) Body Mass Index at 6 months.
Blood pressure
Time frame: Change from baseline (at the point of recruiting) Blood pressure at 6 months.
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