1.Survey of Patients Attitudes toward Generic Drug Substitution in Community Pharmacies
Hidehiko Sakurai ; Yoshimi Itoh ; Kanako Hashizume ; Tadahiro Yamauchi ; Shoko Yoshimachi ; Hiroyuki Sugiyama ; Kaname Kobayashi ; Teruaki Gotou ; Mitsuko Onda ; Yukitoshi Hayase
Japanese Journal of Drug Informatics 2011;12(4):149-157
Objective: In our country, the measure for the spread of the generic has been introduced over several-time as part of the moderation in health care cost plan. However, not having related to an enough spread unlike Europe and America yet is a current state. Then, we investigated from the view point of patients. A detailed examination was performed for the acknowledgment level and attitude toward the generic drug.
Design and Method: The questionnaire survey was performed for the patient who used the community pharmacy for dispensing prescription. The investigation was performed for two weeks (June and July, 2008) at the 50 drugstores in Hokkaido. The patient attribute, source of information, and kind of the taking medicine were examined as a factor to affect decision making for generic drug substitution.
Result: The main results are as follows. The patients who did not know generic drugs accounted 52% of the total and the patients who did not know the words called generic drugs was 16%. This result shows that the degree of the recognition about generic drugs at that time was still low. The information source for the patients who learned generic drugs were articles of the newspaper, a TV program, and advertising with accounted 52% of the total. Also, the patients who prefer generic drugs in the future were 64%. In the relationships between presence of wish for generic drugs and the source of information, the case of from the doctor, was significant (p<0.05) and the case from the pharmacist showed the tendencies of statistical significance (p=0.076).
Conclusion: From the viewpoint of medicine costs restraint in our country, it seems that the pharmacist contributes for the patient’s generic drugs selection expected positively.
2.Expected Balneological Effects of Hot Springs in Tokyo 23 Wards
Masaharu MAEDA ; Masaru ICHIKAWA ; Mariko HARA ; Yoshimi SAKURAI ; Emi HIRANO ; Eisuke KOGURE ; Jun YAMAMOTO
The Journal of The Japanese Society of Balneology, Climatology and Physical Medicine 2011;74(4):246-255
Hot sprigs elements and balneological effects of Tokyo 23 wards, which is not recognized as hot spring region were considered. The density of the hot spring’s source in this region is high compared to other parts of the country. Moreover, a useful element and temperature for the balneological treatment was confirmed by the hot springs with deep digging in a lot of places. The hot springs in Tokyo can be classified into the NaCl strong salt hot springs, NaHCO3, and the sodium metasilicates. The strong Na-Cl (salt) springs are recognized in hot springs found by deep digging, and exists everywhere in Tokyo. The hot springs of the NaHCO3 are localized in Ohta ward by moderate depth digging. The hot springs including with the rich sodium metasilicates in Ohta ward by shallow digging. If the hot springs in Tokyo are to be used the balneologically, the following effects are expected. Thermal and warm keeping effects can be expected from the strong Na-Cl (salt) springs. Cleanness and smoothing effects of the skin can be expected of NaHCO3. Hyperkeratosis of the skin can be expected from rich sodium metasilicates.
3.The Support in Opioid Introduction Period for Outpatients with Cancer by Palliative Care Staffs
Yoshihiro YAMAMOTO ; Hiroaki WATANABE ; Ayako KONDO ; Yuko DEGUCHI ; Shigeki HIRANO ; Aina SAKURAI ; Shoko KUMON ; Rumiko MURAJI ; Megumi MOTIYAMA ; Yoshimi OKUMURA ; Yasuyuki ASAI ; Takuya ODAGIRI
Palliative Care Research 2020;15(4):303-308
Introduction: Our palliative care staff began the support activity in opioid introduction for outpatients with cancer at Komaki City Hospital in March 2018, because it was difficult to make them understand about proper use of opioid analgesics and misinterpretation about abuse at the time of opioid introduction in outpatient settings. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the activity (patient education on pain control, telephone follow up, and assessment of the symptom). Method: Outpatients with cancer receiving strong opioids for pain relief from January 2017 to March 2019 were eligible. We retrospectively investigated the difference of the variables between baseline and after the activity as follows; the ratios of prescribing immediate-release opioids, antiemetics, and laxatives when opioids were prescribed and side effects due to opioid analgesics appeared. Results: The study included 122 patients. The prescribing ratios of immediate-release opioids antiemetics and laxatives all increased from 90.7 to 98.5%, from 63.0 to 70.6%, and from 61.1 to 70.6%, respectively. The side effect incidence due to opioids with STAS-J 2 or more decreased from 12 (22.2%) to 9 (13.2%). Discussion: The activity could contribute to the provision of drug treatments and counselling needed for opioid therapy.