Disposal practices for unused and expired medications: pilot data from three cities in three countries.

Objective: To collect pilot data on medication disposal practices of unused and expired medications from three cities in three countries. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Pittsburgh, United States (US); Turin, Italy; and Kobe, Japan. A convenience sampling was utilized through drug take-back programs in Pittsburgh, US; pharmacy customers in Turin, Italy; and pharmacy students and family members in Kobe, Japan. Descriptive analysis was conducted to assess medications disposal practices including attitudes and beliefs of respondents. Results: The sample included 342 respondents [99 (Pittsburgh, US); 168 (Turin, Italy); and 75 (Kobe, Japan)]. The mean unused and expired medications per patient for Pittsburgh, US was (1.60±2.30 and 0.51±1.54); Turin, Italy (1.69±1.86 and 0.49±1.22) and Kobe, Japan (6.69±8.78 and 0.84±2.26). The major reason for unused medications in Pittsburgh, US (31.3%) was "Medication was as needed"; in Turin, Italy (28.0%) "No longer suffer from the condition"; and in Kobe, Japan (54.7%) "No longer suffer from the condition". The most common reason for expired medications was "No longer suffer from the condition" (Pittsburgh, US 17.2%; Turin, Italy 15.5%; Kobe, Japan 12.0%). The disposal method in Pittsburgh, US was disposing in the toilet (35.4%); returned to the pharmacy in Turin, Italy (51.2%); and disposed the original container in the trash in Kobe, Japan (82.7%). Conclusions: There is a need for counseling protocols regarding proper disposal, which can lead to better adherence, reduction of prescription drug abuse, and less environmental hazards due to improper disposal of prescription medications.

An Explorative Study of Common Themes of Patient Experiences With Migraine.

Objective: To explore important themes in patient experiences with migraine and to understand the relationship of these themes with external factors such as the health care system and societal influences.Methods: This qualitative study was part of a larger online survey (conducted for a period of 2 months from March 1, 2013, to April 30, 2013) that recruited participants with migraine through nonprobability-based sampling techniques. Respondents were asked an open-ended question to describe their experience with migraine. A codebook was developed based on existing literature and new categories that emerged from the responses. Deductive and inductive content analysis was conducted followed by axial coding of the themes based on the codebook.Results: The open-ended question resulted in 154 eligible responses. The final codebook contained 28 categories. The categories were combined into 6 distinct themes. The 6 themes included quality of life and health status, disease condition, societal response to disease, health care and medications, support, and patient response to disease. The most frequently occurring categories were pain and quality of life (QoL) (work functioning). The least frequent themes were cognitive symptoms, QoL economic functioning, and caregiver burden. Axial coding of the themes showed that QoL was the central theme. Aspects of the disease condition and negative societal responses were found to substantially affect QoL, leading to caregiver burden and absence/presence of social support.Conclusions: The findings demonstrate that pain and QoL are central to patient experience with migraine. Attention should be paid to improve the treatment and social support provided to patients and reduce stigma and invalidation.

Pharmacist Views Regarding the Prescription Opioid Epidemic.

Community pharmacists have significant opportunity to contribute to prevention and treatment of opioid use disorders, but barriers to implementation still exist. Understanding their viewpoints is critical to designing future interventions.To qualitatively explore experiences and beliefs of community pharmacists regarding the misuse of prescription opioids in the United States.The study was part of a larger project that utilized a survey questionnaire to evaluate the relationships between knowledge, attitudes, and practices of community pharmacists in substance use disorders. The survey included an open-ended item on pharmacist views regarding the prescription opioid epidemic. The responses were used for inductive content analysis. Axial coding of themes was conducted to analyze underlying relationships: associations, consequences, intervening relationships, and action strategies regarding a central phenomenon. A model describing pharmacist experiences in the opioid epidemic was conceptualized.The open-ended question resulted in 50 (37.3%) usable responses. Final abstraction resulted in six themes including (1) overprescribing opioids: inappropriate prescribing as a contributor to the epidemic, (2) policy and practice recommendations: potential action strategies against the epidemic, (3) poor prescriber-pharmacist relationship: barrier to addressing the epidemic, (4) negative attitudes: intervening condition affecting roles of the pharmacist, (5) personal experience: facilitator to improve pharmacist roles and (6) decreased access to opioids: consequence of strict prescribing laws.The study identified themes that described pharmacist views, attitudes, barriers, and experiences related to their perceived role in prevention and treatment of opioid use disorders. Future research should consider the implications of the barriers and facilitators identified.

Adherence to cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) modulators: analysis of a national specialty pharmacy database.

BACKGROUND: There have been significant advances in Cystic Fibrosis (CF) treatment, with the introduction of Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) modulators. Adherence is an important goal for CF management, as nonadherence is linked to poor health outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To calculate the medication adherence in patients taking CFTR modulators using a national specialty pharmacy database. METHODS: This retrospective observational cohort study utilized de-identified specialty pharmacy data from September 2017 to August 2018 to assess medication adherence for three CFTR modulators: ivacaftor, lumacaftor/ivacaftor, and tezacaftor/ivacaftor & ivacaftor. The primary outcome was proportion of days covered (PDC) for each medication, with mean PDC values compared across age groups and insurance characteristics. All analyses were performed using the SAS 9.4 University Edition (SAS Institute, Cary, NC). RESULTS: A total of 2,548 patients were analyzed, including 1,289 (50.59%) patients on lumacaftor/ivacaftor, 784 (30.77%) on ivacaftor, and 475 (18.64%) on tezacaftor/ivacaftor & ivacaftor. The mean PDC value for all CFTR modulators was above 0.80. Tezacaftor/ivacaftor & ivacaftor had the highest overall PDC of 0.92, while PDC values for both lumacaftor/ivacaftor and ivacaftor were 0.84. Children/adolescents on lumacaftor/ivacaftor (p = 0.0001) and tezacaftor/ivacaftor & ivacaftor (p = 0.001) had significantly higher mean PDC values compared to adults but not for ivacaftor (p = 0.3744). No statistical differences were seen in PDC across insurance characteristics. CONCLUSION: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to assess the adherence of three CFTR modulators using a large nationwide specialty database. With high acquisition costs of CFTR modulator therapies, there is a need to improve rates of adherence in patients with CF.

The relationship between knowledge, attitudes, and practices of community pharmacists regarding persons with substance use disorders.

Background: Community pharmacists can play a meaningful role in identification and treatment of substance use disorders (SUD). However, inadequate disease knowledge and negative attitudes are known barriers. The relationship between knowledge, attitudes, and practice of pharmacists regarding persons with SUD has not been evaluated comprehensively in the United States. The objective of the study was to assess knowledge of community pharmacists regarding medications for SUD and evaluate their attitudes, levels of stigma, and clinical practices in SUD. Methods: A questionnaire was developed to assess practices, knowledge, screening services, and attitudes toward harm reduction strategies and treatment. A standardized measure of stigma was included along with demographics. A cross-sectional electronic survey was conducted in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia among a non-probability sample of community pharmacists working for a retail pharmacy chain (n = 910) and a local alumni network (n = 50). Scores were calculated for each factor and descriptive analyses, mean differences (t-tests and ANOVA), correlations with demographics and practice characteristics were performed. Linear and ordinal regressions were utilized to predict knowledge, practice, screening, and stigma scores. Results: A total of 134 responses (response rate 13.9%) were collected. On average, the pharmacists were 38 years old, had worked for 15 years, primarily full-time with practice locations in suburban settings. Only 53% reported they received SUD education in pharmacy school. Pharmacists received a mean score of 5.5 and 3.5 out of eight and seven on knowledge and practice scales, respectively. Pharmacists overall had slightly stigmatizing and negative attitudes, with higher stigma significantly related to performing lesser services and considering screenings as important. Number of years worked significantly predicted knowledge and screening. Conclusion: Relationships between knowledge, attitudes, and practices indicate a need for experiential education that includes psychosocial aspects of care with increased opportunities for practice.

Patient Satisfaction with Substance Use Disorder Rehabilitation Services: a Qualitative Study.

Despite its recognized value, there is a gap in the assessment of patient satisfaction among patients with substance use disorder (SUD) in rehabilitation. The study objective was to determine patient satisfaction dimensions relevant to individuals receiving residential rehabilitation for SUD. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the following: (1) adult males enrolled in the program and (2) counseling staff involved in the care of these individuals. A literature review formed the basis for interviews, which were audio recorded and transcribed. Text data was analyzed using directed content analysis to identify dimensions relevant to patient satisfaction. Eighteen individuals participated, including 14 men with SUD and four staff. Content analysis of the interview transcripts resulted in five themes: (1) counselor (skill), (2) programmatic structure (adhering), (3) skill development (personal responsibility), (4) comparison to other programs, and (5) case management facilitation. These dimensions will be utilized to create a patient satisfaction tool specific to SUD rehabilitation.

Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Fibromyalgia: Results of an Online Survey.

BACKGROUND: Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition which may negatively impact various aspects of patients' lives. Many people with fibromyalgia look to complementary and alternative medicine treatments for symptom relief. AIMS: The three main objectives of this study were to examine self-reported complementary and alternative medicine use in patients with fibromyalgia, to determine associations between the use of complementary and alternative medicine treatments and patients' self-reported quality of live and self-reported pain levels. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. SETTING: Web-based. PARTICIPANTS/SUBJECTS: Adults over the age of 18 years who had been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. METHODS: Patients with fibromyalgia responded to an online questionnaire regarding the following: treatments (complementary and alternative medicine, prescription and over-the-counter medications), quality of life (Quality of Life Scale-16), assessment of current pain (visual analog scale), and demographic information. RESULTS: Approximately 66% of the respondents used complementary and alternative treatments. Vitamins, massage therapy, and meditation were the most commonly used complementary and alternative therapies. Results indicated respondents using a combination of complementary and alternative medicine and pharmacologic treatments (prescription or over-the-counter) had significantly higher quality of life versus those using pharmacologic treatments alone, p = .011. Similarly, respondents using only complementary and alternative medicine treatment reported significantly lower pain levels versus those using pharmacologic treatment alone, p = .046. CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests that a large proportion of fibromyalgia patients use complementary and alternative medicine, and these treatments may offer beneficial effects to these patients. Integration of complementary and alternative medicine into conventional treatment regimens may provide opportunities for a holistic treatment approach and greater symptom relief for fibromyalgia patients. This approach is timely, as controlled substances are increasingly difficult for patients with fibromyalgia to access.

Barriers and facilitators to diabetes self-management in a primary care setting - Patient perspectives.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes self-management (DSM) is a key element in the overall management of type-2 diabetes (T2DM). Identifying barriers and facilitators to DSM and addressing them is a critical step in achieving improved health outcomes in this population. OBJECTIVE: To assess patient reported barriers and facilitators to self-management of T2DM in a primary care setting. METHODS: This cross sectional study combined patient survey data with electronic medical record (EMR) data. Patients (age≥18 years) with a recorded diagnosis of T2DM (ICD-9 code: 250. xx) and having ≥2 physician visits were identified from a physician group's EMR database. Patients were grouped based on their A1C levels: <7, 7-9, and >9. Information on demographics, knowledge of diabetes, attitudes, health beliefs, and level of self-management was collected through survey administration. Survey responses were linked to the EMR data, and additional patient information was extracted. RESULTS: A total of 2100 surveys were administered (700 in each A1C category) of which 210 responses were received (10% response rate). Mean age was 63.7 years ( ±11.79), 108 (51.4%) were males, and 197 (93.8%) were Caucasian. Age (X2 = 15.73, p < 0.01), insurance status (X2 = 12.03, p < 0.05), referral to an endocrinologist (X2 = 6.17, p < 0.05), level of self-management (X2 = 12.01, p < 0.05) and willingness to use insulin (X2 = 9.8, p < 0.01) were associated with glycemic variability. Level of self-management (X2 = 33.04, p < 0.01) and referral to an endocrinologist (X2 = 11.11, p < 0.01) were associated with readiness to change DSM behavior. Better self-management, older age, lower willingness to use insulin, and 'less than graduate level' education were significant predictors of glycemic stability. CONCLUSIONS: Self-management behavior of patients with T2DM is strongly associated with glycemic stability. Interventions directed towards improving self-management in this population may result in improved clinical outcomes.

Evaluation of Primary Care Physician Chronic Pain Management Practice Patterns.

BACKGROUND: The management of chronic pain is complex and often involves the integration of multiple clinical, humanistic, and economic factors. Primary care physicians (PCPs) are often at the forefront of managing chronic pain and often initiate pharmacological pain management therapy. To date little is known surrounding the pain management practices of PCPs. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to assess the knowledge and practice of PCPs in management of chronic pain. STUDY DESIGN: A survey. SETTING: Western region of Pennsylvania, US. METHODS: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey evaluated PCPs pain management treatment practices including assessment of chronic pain, procedural activities surrounding therapy, decision-making input, and knowledge for therapeutic pain management including the 5 main classes of medications. The questionnaire was developed based on a review of the literature including published chronic pain guidelines. The questionnaire was mailed to a convenience sample of 300 PCPs practicing in Western Pennsylvania. The study was approved by the University Institutional Review Board. RESULTS: The survey had a response rate of 16%. The respondents on average treated 30 chronic pain patients per month predominately in a community setting. The most common conditions treated included osteoarthritis, back and neuropathic pain. Although the major reported source of education was published literature, only 67% respondents referred to pain management guidelines. Multiple knowledge and practice gaps were identified surrounding pharmacological treatment, medication management including compliance practices, and pain assessment. LIMITATIONS: Although low, the response rate is comparable to response rates for other chronic pain management topics including anticoagulation and prescription patterns for chronic pain physicians. Also, greater than 50% of the respondents were from private practice, therefore, the results may not pertain to other practice settings including academic and hospital-based practices. CONCLUSIONS: The survey provided significant insight into PCP practices and highlights areas for future educational efforts. Further opioid prescribing education would be beneficial especially regarding the utilization of opioid risk assessment tools, the selection of opioids, and opioid end organ effects. Furthermore, patient education on the realities of chronic pain management and the importance of nonpharmacological treatment are needed in order to reduce the challenges faced by PCPs surrounding chronic pain management. KEY WORDS: Chronic pain, primary care physician, pain management, survey questionnaire.

Cost-Effectiveness and Budget Impact of Lumacaftor/Ivacaftor in the Treatment of Cystic Fibrosis.

BACKGROUND: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a chronic, progressive, genetic disease affecting more than 30,000 people in the United States and 70,000 people globally. The goals of treatment are to slow disease progression, reduce pulmonary exacerbations, relieve chronic symptoms, and improve the patient's quality of life. Lumacaftor/ivacaftor is a new therapy for CF that has demonstrated good clinical outcomes, including improved absolute percentage predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1%). However, given the high cost of therapy, there is a need to evaluate the overall value of lumacaftor/ivacaftor in CF management. OBJECTIVES: To (a) conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) of lumacaftor/ivacaftor to understand the overall effectiveness of the drug compared with its costs and (b) conduct a budget impact analysis (BIA) to understand the potential financial effect of introducing a new drug in a health plan. METHODS: Two static decision models were developed using Microsoft Excel to evaluate the cost-effectiveness and budget impact of lumacaftor/ivacaftor over a 1-year time frame from a payer perspective. Model inputs included drug costs (wholesale acquisition costs), drug monitoring schedules (package inserts), drug monitoring costs (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid physician fee schedule and published literature), FEV1% predicted and pulmonary exacerbation values (clinical trials), and cost to treat pulmonary exacerbations (published literature). The outcomes in the CEA included total cost of therapy; average cost-effectiveness ratio (ACER), defined as cost per FEV1% predicted; and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER), defined as the difference in the ratio of cost per FEV1% predicted of lumacaftor/ivacaftor and placebo. Outcomes in the BIA included total budget impact; cost per member per month (PMPM), defined as total budget impact per hypothetical plan population; and cost per treated member per month (PTMPM), defined as total budget impact per target CF population. All costs were adjusted to 2016 dollars, and one-way sensitivity analyses were conducted to test the model robustness given uncertainty in model inputs and study assumptions. RESULTS: The annual cost of therapy per patient for lumacaftor/ivacaftor was $379,780. The ACER for lumacaftor/ivacaftor was $151,912, while the ICER for lumacaftor/ivacaftor compared with placebo was $95,016 per FEV1% predicted. The annual total budget impact due to the inclusion of lumacaftor/ivacaftor on the health plan formulary was $266,046. The PMPM cost was $0.02 and the PTMPM cost was $6.21. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with CF, lumacaftor/ivacaftor has demonstrated better clinical effectiveness compared with placebo alongside an increased drug acquisition cost. However, the therapy may be a viable alternative to existing standard therapy over a short time horizon. Health care payers, both private and public, need to evaluate the cost-effectiveness and the financial effect when considering expansion of new drug coverage in CF management. DISCLOSURES: No outside funding supported this study. Covvey and Kamal have received research funding from Novartis Pharmaceuticals. Covvey, Giannetti, and Kamal have received research funding from the College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists. Kamal serves as a consultant to the Lynx Group (Cranbury, NJ) and Manticore Consulting Group (Scottsdale, AZ). Mukherjee has nothing to disclose. A related poster abstract was presented at the AMCP Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy Annual Meeting; March 27-30, 2017; Denver, CO.

Community pharmacists and mental illness: a survey of service provision, stigma, attitudes and beliefs.

Background Half of Americans experience mental illness during their lifetime. Significant opportunity exists for community pharmacists to deliver services to these patients; however, personal and practice-related barriers may prevent full engagement. Objective To assess the demographics, practice characteristics, service provision, stigma, attitudes and beliefs of a national sample of community pharmacists towards individuals with mental illness. Setting National random sample of 3008 community pharmacists in the USA. Method 101-item cross-sectional mailed survey questionnaire on: (1) demographics, (2) knowledge and practice characteristics, (3) provision of clinical pharmacy services, and (4) comparative opinions. Main outcome measure Scaled measures of service provision (comfort, confidence, willingness and interest) and comparative opinions (stigma, attitudes and beliefs) of mental illness, four linear regression models to predict service provision. Results A total of 239 responses were received (response rate 7.95%). Across pharmacy services, ratings for willingness/interest were higher than those for comfort/confidence. Pharmacists who reported providing medication therapy management (MTM) services for patients reported higher comfort (18.36 vs. 17.46, p < 0.05), confidence (17.73 vs. 16.01, p < 0.05), willingness (20.0 vs. 18.62, p < 0.05) and interest (19.13 vs. 17.66, p < 0.05). Pharmacists with personal experience with mental illness also resulted in higher scores across all four domains of service provision, lower levels of stigma (18.28 vs. 20.76, p < 0.05) and more positive attitudes (52.24 vs. 50.53, p < 0.01). Regression analyses demonstrated increased frequency of MTM service delivery and more positive attitudes as significantly predictive across all four models for comfort, confidence, willingness and interest. Increased delivery of pharmacy services was significantly associated with both willingness and interest to provide mental illness-specific services. Conclusion Despite willingness/interest to provide services to patients with mental illness, decreased levels of comfort/confidence remain service-related barriers for community pharmacists.

The Effect of Melatonin Upon Postacute Withdrawal Among Males in a Residential Treatment Program (M-PAWS): A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: Assess the effect of melatonin (5 mg) compared with placebo as an adjuvant treatment along with current behavioral and pharmacotherapy for 28 days on weekly self-reported severity of anxiety, depression, stress, and sleep complaints, and also how sleep is affecting daily life in males 18 years of age and older in recovery from substance use at a residential program in south-western Pennsylvania. BACKGROUND: Individuals in recovery experience a variety of symptoms including, but are not limited to, anxiety, depression, sleep difficulties, and stress. In the U.S., melatonin is a readily available nutraceutical that is used to alleviate sleep difficulties. Studies also suggest that melatonin may also have anxiolytic and antidepressive actions alone, as well as in those with co-morbid insomnia. Observation of clinicians treating individuals during and/or post drug cessation indicated that melatonin is commonly provided specifically to alleviate sleep difficulties with little evidence regarding efficacy in this population. The paucity of evidence as well as observation of clinical practices provided the rationale for this randomized clinical trial. METHODS: A single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial was conducted. Seventy individuals were enrolled, block-randomized with an allocation ratio of 1:1. Intention-to-treat analysis was performed for all primary outcome measures. Primary outcome measures were assessed with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), Personal Health Questionnaire Depression Scale (PHQ-8), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14), and Pittsburgh Sleep Symptom Questionnaire-Insomnia (PSSQ-1). Secondary outcome measures were to acquire participant characteristics, determine adherence, and document adverse events. RESULTS: No statistically significant between-group differences were detected for baseline characteristics. Even though the proportion of individuals reporting an adverse event between groups was not significantly different, the frequency of reported adverse events was greater in the melatonin group. Intention-to-treat analysis for all the measured outcomes revealed no statistically significant between-group differences for same day comparisons. CONCLUSIONS: The diversity of medication regimens, and also the services provided by the residential treatment site add to the complexity of assessing the efficacy of melatonin on the measured outcomes. Given these limitations, there exists insufficient evidence to suggest that the effect of melatonin and placebo on the outcomes were significantly different.

Qualitative evaluation of perceptions of smoking cessation among clients at an alcohol and other drug treatment program.

BACKGROUND: Smoking is highly prevalent in the substance use population and trials of smoking cessation among patients actively receiving treatment for substance use disorder have yielded modest quit rates. However, smoking cessation is not routinely provided due to the ungrounded belief it will interfere with recovery from the primary substance use problem. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this qualitative study was to determine the perceptions of smoking cessation in a substance use population. Specifically, we aimed to 1) identify the motivations for and barriers to cessation for clients in treatment for substance use disorder; 2) explore the attitudes of clients towards cessation efforts while actively receiving treatment for substance use disorder; 3) identify sources of social support during cessation; and 4) describe the culture of cessation at the site. METHODS: Semi-structured, one-on-one, in-person interviews were conducted with clients at Salvation Army Harbor Light Center, a 90-day residential alcohol and other drug treatment facility in Pittsburgh, PA. All current and past smokers were invited to participate. Participants were asked to complete a brief demographic survey. Enrollment continued until thematic saturation was achieved. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and transcripts were verified. Codes were developed and themes were identified using Grounded Theory. RESULTS: Sixteen interviews were conducted over a period of 6 months. Most participants were white men (68.8%) with a primary drug of choice of alcohol (75%). Thematic analysis from interviews identified 9 themes relating to the environment at the site, specific strategies and challenges related to substance use, and generalized factors impacting their confidence in success. CONCLUSIONS: Clients at Harbor Light face several unique barriers to quitting that are consistent with findings in the literature. Program administrators may consider adopting policies that promote cultural changes to encourage smoking cessation in the recovery community. This data will help to tailor smoking cessation services to the needs of the population.

Adherence With Therapeutic Regimens: Behavioral and Pharmacoeconomic Perspectives.

There is an extensive literature regarding nonadherence with both therapeutic regimens and medication. This literature includes reviews of empirical research regarding the factors associated with nonadherence. Health care system, provider, and patient factors as well as the nature of the illness and therapeutic regimen all effect adherence rates. Different behavioral models for adherence counseling such as the Health Belief Model, the Theory of Reasoned Action, the Medication Interest Model, and Motivational Interviewing have also been reported in the research literature. This article will discuss the development of a brief model for patient counseling with specific techniques illustrated for pharmacists based on empirical findings that have demonstrated effectiveness in the adherence research literature. In addition, the article will address the measurement of the economic impact of medication nonadherence and propose a framework for assessing the cost-effectiveness of pharmacist counseling to increase adherence. The problem of nonadherence has significant effects upon health care expenditures through increase in physician's visits, emergency department incidents, rehospitalizations, and nursing home readmissions. Thus, the overall goal is to assist the pharmacist in developing a brief adherence counseling program in community pharmacy and evaluating the economic feasibility of the intervention demonstrating the value-added proposition of pharmacist intervention.

Impact of invalidation and trust in physicians on health outcomes in fibromyalgia patients.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with fibromyalgia have reported experiencing discouragement, rejection, suspicion, and stigma during their encounters with health care professionals. The impact of these experiences on health outcomes has not been extensively examined. The aim of this study was to assess fibromyalgia patients' self-reported quality of life (QoL) and pain based on the following: perceptions of physician attitudes, trust in physicians, perceptions of medical professionals, type of treatment, and various demographic variables. METHOD: An online survey was advertised in the electronic newsletter of the National Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain Association and data were collected in February 2013. A new scale was developed to measure patient perceptions of physician attitudes. Patients' trust in physicians, patients' perceptions of medical professionals, and QoL were measured using the following standardized scales: Trust in Physician Scale, Illness Invalidation Inventory (3*I), and Quality of Life Scale-16 (QOLS-16). RESULTS: The survey resulted in 670 usable responses. The Patient Perceptions of Physician Attitudes Scale showed high internal consistency and convergent validity (Cronbach α = 0.91). Factor analysis of the Trust in Physician scale, 3*I, and QOLS-16 showed a 1-dimensional structure. Invalidation, use of complementary and alternative medicine, income, age, and marital status were significant predictors of QoL (P < .001). Trust in physician, income, education, and number of referrals to health care providers were significant predictors of pain (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Invalidation, trust in physician, and use of complementary medicine can have significant impact on QoL and pain in fibromyalgia. Further research in more representative fibromyalgia samples may help confirm findings.

Adherence with antidepressant medication.

Nonadherence with antidepressant medications is a well-documented factor in treatment failure. This article uses the literature to build a collaborative counseling model to increase antidepressant adherence. Studies may be warranted to determine whether specific antidepressants, when used as part of a collaborative strategy, can improve long-term adherence rates.