Disaster pharmacy

BACKGROUND: People with HIV (PWH) are disproportionately vulnerable to the impacts of wildfires, given the need for frequent access to healthcare systems, higher burden of comorbidities, higher food insecurity, mental and behavioral health challenges, and challenges of living with HIV in a rural area. In this study, we aim to better understand the pathways through which wildfires impact health outcomes among PWH. METHODS: From October 2021 through February 2022, we conducted individual semi-structured qualitative interviews with PWH impacted by the Northern California wildfires and clinicians of PWH who were impacted by wildfires...

BACKGROUND: Japan is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire and experiences frequent earthquakes. In addition, as the climate is changing due to global warming, heavy rains have caused frequent floods recently. Following the occurrence of disasters, citizens often experience confusion regarding access to healthcare services. Moreover, health professionals often face uncertainty regarding the availability of medical services in their local area. The Tokyo Kita city Pharmacist Association (KPA) independently developed the pharmacist safety confirmation (PSC) and pharmacy status confirmation (PSTC) systems to provide information regarding pharmaceutical resources during a disaster...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

BACKGROUND: The current COVID-19 pandemic, demographic trends, and the increasing shortage of skilled workers pose major challenges for the care of people with and without care needs. The potential of drones as unmanned aerial vehicles in health care is being discussed as an effective innovative way of delivering much-needed medicines, especially in rural areas. Although the advantages are well known, the needs of the users have not yet been taken into account. METHODS: Online-based focus groups (via WebEx) were conducted with participants from different disciplines: nursing, pharmacy, physicians...

OBJECTIVE: Self-medication has become a major concern among nonmedical professionals during the treatment of COVID-19. Such concerns have been attributed to the adverse effect of information shared via media outlets. Here, a survey was undertaken among nonhealthcare professionals to find out the adverse effect of media on self-medication for treating COVID-19. METHODS: A questionnaire-based survey was conducted electronically among nonmedical professionals (270 respondents)...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to assess the level of preparedness of pharmacists working in the emergency department at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) for any emergency disasters that may take place during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ by evaluating their awareness (A), attitude (A), and readiness (R). METHODS: A cross-sectional quantitative observational study was conducted through a web-based survey. The survey was distributed among emergency pharmacists working in general hospitals under HMC...

BACKGROUND: Reports of increased stress among healthcare workers were commonplace during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, but little is known about community pharmacists' experiences. OBJECTIVE: To characterize community pharmacists' stress and confidence during the early COVID-19 pandemic and identify associated factors. METHODS: Pharmacists who worked in a brick-and-mortar community pharmacy (e.g., big-box, chain, independent, or grocery pharmacies) located in Connecticut and had regular face-to-face interaction with the public were surveyed...

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic, a serious global health threat, has excruciating social and economic implications given its transmissibility, lack of therapy, and severity. In such a situation, pharmacists as frontline healthcare professionals hold a significant position to tackle. This study was designed to explore the perception and preparedness of pharmacists working in public sector hospitals amid such a pandemic in Pakistan. METHODS: A total of 11 pharmacists were interviewed for this qualitative study design through a semi-structured interview guide...

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic had an enormous impact on the global economy and healthcare. Pharmacists were vital members of the healthcare system, and they participated in various strategies to reduce the effect of the pandemic. Numerous papers were published discussing their roles during the pandemic. Bibliometric analysis was used to measure the impact of publications on this topic and assessed them qualitatively and quantitatively over a specific time. OBJECTIVE: Evaluate published literature pertaining to the roles of pharmacists and pharmacy services during the pandemic and identify gaps...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

OBJECTIVE: Nerve agent attacks pose a serious threat worldwide and ensuring optimal readiness is essential to management. We review a mass casualty incident (MCI) drill in a busy urban New York City Emergency Department incorporating an antidote-dosing tool. METHODS: Emergency Management and Preparedness planned an MCI drill involving a nerve agent exposure and engaged the pharmacy department to participate on a more comprehensive level. The clinical pharmacist prepared a treatment tool with antidote dosing recommendations to distribute to team members participating in the drill...

OBJECTIVE: This study explores the opinions of academic and practicing pharmacists about ways to prepare pharmacy students for disaster management to enable them to optimize their role in disaster health management. METHODS: Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted for data collection from April through June 2021. The research participants were 9 pharmacists who were involved in disaster management. The interview guide was developed following a comprehensive literature review on disaster management...

BACKGROUND: Floods and torrential rains are natural disasters caused by climate change. Unfortunately, such events are more frequent and are increasingly severe in recent times. The 2018 Japan Floods in western Japan were one of the largest such disasters. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the 2018 Japan Floods on healthcare costs and service utilization. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included all patients whose receipts accrued between July 2017 and June 2019 in Hiroshima, Okayama, and Ehime prefectures using the National Database of Health Insurance Claims...

Healthcare organizations need to efficiently use their available resources, improve their productivity, reduce operating costs, and provide high-quality services. Just in time (JIT) is an approach that has benefited the healthcare industry in these regards, improving patient outcomes by reducing waste and non-value-adding activities. As such, our main purpose in this study was to discuss the use of JIT systems in healthcare inventory management and highlight their importance, as well as explore the advantages and limitations of JIT systems in healthcare management systems...

Hurricane María had a profound impact on the way essential health services were given during the emergency period that followed its landfall on Puerto Rico. The main objective of this research was to find out what people with health conditions in need of essentials services from hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies did during the emergency period. Furthermore, we wanted to know people's view about the government's response to the aftermath of the hurricane. By conducting a series of interviews with different health specialists, students at the University of Puerto Rico-Cayey, and citizens of the community of Jájome Alto in Cayey, Puerto Rico, we were able to better understand aspects of the physical and social impact caused by Hurricane Maria...

BACKGROUND: Needle Exchange Programme (NEP) mobile outreach services in Aotearoa New Zealand distribute injecting equipment to people who inject drugs (PWID) living in remote regions. In disasters, continued access to such services is imperative for the health and wellbeing of PWID. Disasters can compound existing inequities, particularly in regions characterised by poor or limited infrastructure, smaller populations, and challenging socioeconomic conditions. To gain insight into the barriers that prevent access to NEP harm-reduction services and understand the needs of PWID prior to and during disasters, this study foregrounds the voices of PWID based on the West Coast of the South Island, Aotearoa New Zealand...

BACKGROUND: The critical aspects of risk management for students are providing knowledge, building positive attitudes, and readiness to practice. Our study aimed to assess Chinese health-care university students' knowledge (K), attitude (A), and readiness to practice (rP) regarding disaster medicine and preparedness. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A survey was carried out using a self-administered disaster medicine and preparedness questionnaire. Three main outcome measures were K (22 items), A (16 items), and rP (11 items)...

Due to the Russian invasion, which started on 24 February 2022, the Ukrainian healthcare system is facing multiple challenges. A great number of healthcare facilities have been destroyed, while availability of other ones is often limited due to a lack of qualified medical staff. Certain services, e.g. cancer therapies, have been seriously disrupted. Moreover, millions of Ukrainians with chronic conditions are also suffering as due to war-related problems with execution of their long-term therapies. Availability of drugs is particularly limited in the occupied regions...

OBJECTIVE: The aim: Study of the system of pharmaceutical activity legal support in emergency conditions, namely, the period of epidemics outbreak and during the war. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and methods: In the mentioned study, we analyze the state of the governmental pharmaceutical policy during the pandemic and the war in Ukraine. Legal norms and doctrinal positions of scientists regarding the above-mentioned issue are studied. The work analyzes the information presented by specialists in various scientific publications, and also uses scientific methods from a medical and legal point of view...