Title:Empowerment Provided by Health Education and its Impact on Self-care:
Report of a Pharmaceutical Intervention
Volume: 19
Issue: 1
Author(s): Alan Maicon de Oliveira*, Barbara Falaschi Romeiro, João Paulo Vilela Rodrigues, Fabiana Rossi Varallo and Leonardo Regis Leira Pereira
Affiliation:
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo
(USP), Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
Keywords:
Geriatrics, polypharmacy, patient-centered care, patient safety, medication adherence, evidence-based pharmacy practice, pharmaceutical care.
Abstract:
Aims: Older people, due to the development of multiple morbidities and in a situation of
polypharmacy, become fragile in addition to their own physical and organic aging. For different reasons
regarding the treatment, the health care provided, or the physical and mental condition of older
people, problems of adherence to pharmacotherapy are present. Pharmaceutical care is an important
practice to ensure rational pharmacotherapy for this population. The present study aims to describe the
report of pharmacotherapeutic follow-up of a hospitalized older individual with multimorbidity and
use of polypharmacy and to highlight an intervention aimed at adherence to pharmacotherapy.
Case presentation: This is the planning of a strategy, aimed at promoting health education, which was
carried out during the hospital stay of an older person who was included in the institution's pharmaceutical
care services. In addition, at hospital discharge, in order to ensure greater benefits, a bag was
made for the correct storage of medicines and a descriptive didactic list on how to use them. In this
way, improvements were achieved in the transition of care for this patient.
Conclusion: The importance of developing techniques that promote adherence to pharmacotherapy,
especially for fragile populations, such as older people with multiple diseases, and using polypharmacy
is suggested. Individualized educational interventions are instructive measures that can contribute
to people's autonomy in their self-care.
