| Abstract [eng] |
Osteoporosis Prevention Strategies in Pharmacy Practice Final master’s thesis of Vilija Balčiūnienė and Virginija Šneider „Osteoporosis Prevention Strategies in Pharmacy Practice”. The aim. To analyse the preventive measures of osteoporosis applied in pharmacist’s practice. Tasks. 1. To identify the aetiology, risk factors and preventive measures of osteoporosis. 2. To analyse the means of osteoporosis prevention, applied in pharmacists’ practice in foreign countries. 3. To find out the means of osteoporosis prevention, applied in pharmacist’s practice in Lithuania. 4. To give recommendations for pharmacists of how to participate more actively in the prevention of osteoporosis. Methods. Theoretical analysis. The review of scientific literature about osteoporosis and it’s prevention as well as the scientific research of the means of osteoporosis prevention applied in pharmacists’ practice abroad are provided in the theoretical part of work. Empirical method of research. Qualitative mean of analysis (standartized anonymous questionnaire) was used for the research. Representative (unbiased) sample of the population was 300 pharmacists, working in community pharmacies in Lithuania. Results. Majority of the pharmacists name the following risk factors to the patients: older age, female gender, menopause, genetic inheritance, nutritional calcium and vitamin D insufficiency, long-term use of glucocorticoids and lack of the physical activity. A third of pharmacists consider increased alcohol consumption and smoking as important factors. Large part of the respondents indicated that they recommend calcium (97%), vitamin D (98%) supplements and increased physical activity (70%) as precautions of osteoporosis. One-minute osteoporosis risk test isn’t used by 40% and is unknown to 51% of surveyed pharmacists. Patients either don’t have a possibility to measure their bone density in the pharmacy at all (60%) or can sometimes have their bone density measured during promotions (31%). Conclusions. 1. Main means of osteoporosis prevention are sufficient nutritional levels of calcium and vitamin D or the use of calcium and vitamin D food supplements, regular physical activity, moderate alcohol consumption and no smoking. 2. Most commonly used preventive osteoporosis measures in foreign countries(Western Europe, North America and Australia) are bone density measurement, osteoporosis risk evaluation test and educational activities. 3. Most of pharmacists in Lithuania consult patients about healthy lifestyle, indicate the osteoporosis risk factors, but the most effective preventive measures such as bone densitometry and osteoporosis risk evaluation test are either not used at all or used only during promotions. |
