Use of Nonprescription and Prescription Drugs and Drug Information Sources among Breastfeeding Women in Japan: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Breastfeeding women may experience various health issues that require medication. This survey aimed to gain insights into the use of nonprescription and prescription drugs by breastfeeding women in Japan. A cross-sectional study involving women with children aged under two years was conducted in Fukuoka, Japan. Nonprescription drugs were used by 26% of participants in the breastfed-only group, 41% in the breastfed more than half the time group, 55% in the formula-fed more than half the time group, and 82% in the formula-fed-only group. We found that when breastfeeding rates decreased, the use of nonprescription drugs increased (p < 0.05, Cochran-Armitage test for trend). There were significant differences in the use of nonprescription cold medicines and oral analgesics between the formula-fed and breastfed groups, but a nonsignificant difference in prescription drugs use between the groups. These results indicated breastfeeding had a significant influence on use of nonprescription drugs, which was not observed with prescription drugs. Breastfeeding women commonly used the Internet to obtain information on both nonprescription and prescription drugs; however, this did not influence medication use.

Background on Establishing a Working Group to Create Home Clinical Cases for Education.

In Japan there are concerns that there will be a surge in social insurance costs such as medical and nursing care expenses as a result of the baby boom generation reaching the late stages of old age (75 years old and beyond) around 2025 ("The 2025 Problem"). In 2012, the "Outline on Social Insurance and Tax Reform" was approved by the Japanese cabinet and government, including "construction of regional comprehensive care". To promote participation in home medical care by pharmacists, this article presents the roles demanded of pharmacists in regional comprehensive care from the standpoint of physicians, and the discussion of case studies bridging the gap from knowledge learned in lectures to practical applications. In the field of medical education, "The 2023 Problem", regarding standards of education on a global level, caused medical schools across Japan to scramble for curriculum reform, specifically in the demand for increased time spent in clinical training and the expansion of community-based medical education. The current state of community-based medical education will be reviewed. In light of these developments, "the working group to create home clinical cases for education" was developed by clinical pharmacists in the field and university faculty members at Daiichi University of Pharmacy.