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Morbidity and Medication Preferences of Individuals With Headache Presenting to a Community Pharmacy
Author(s) -
Wenzel Richard G.,
Schommer Jon C.,
Marks Thomas G.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
headache: the journal of head and face pain
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.14
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1526-4610
pISSN - 0017-8748
DOI - 10.1111/j.1526-4610.2004.04016.x
Subject(s) - medicine , pharmacy , medical prescription , headaches , migraine , referral , community pharmacy , family medicine , population , psychiatry , nursing , environmental health
Objective.—To assess the degree of debilitation and the treatment views of individuals with headache presenting to a community pharmacy. Background.—Migraine and chronic daily headache are common poorly managed illnesses. Pharmacists recommend an over‐the‐counter “headache product” to customers more than 53 000 times daily, thus they are well positioned to help those with headache. Design.—Pilot project of 22 self‐administered surveys of individuals presenting to a community pharmacy with a complaint of headache. Results.—Thirteen persons had Migraine Disability Assessment scores of grade III or grade IV. Of the sample population, a substantial minority (41%) did not believe their headaches could be effectively managed with over‐the‐counter medications, 72% did not feel over‐the‐counter agents were safer than prescription products, 96% did not indicate that over‐the‐counter drugs were more effective than prescription drugs, and 50% disagreed that a physician's evaluation was not necessary. Only half of the population was satisfied with their current therapy, and individuals overwhelmingly (91%) wished they could prevent their headaches. Conclusion.—The majority of individuals with headache presenting to a community pharmacy had high levels of morbidity and were in need of education regarding the proper role of over‐the‐counter medications, the advantages of prescription agents, and the benefits of a physician's referral. These preliminary results indicate that community pharmacies are potentially important locations for identification, education, and referral of individuals with headache.