Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29201385›Full record

ArticleAsthma research and practice2017

Identifying the hidden burden of allergic rhinitis (AR) in community pharmacy: a global phenomenon.

Rachel Tan, Biljana Cvetkovski, Vicky Kritikos, David Price, Kwok Yan, Pete Smith, Sinthia Bosnic-Anticevich

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Asthma research and practice, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 31 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
31citing papers in PubMed
4.1field-weighted citation impact, top 5% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

31 citing papers in PubMed, 61 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.

Rachel TanQuality Use of Respiratory Medicines Group, Woolcock Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-5171-4036
Biljana CvetkovskiQuality Use of Respiratory Medicines Group, Woolcock Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Vicky KritikosQuality Use of Respiratory Medicines Group, Woolcock Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
David PriceAcademic Primary Care, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
Kwok YanQuality Use of Respiratory Medicines Group, Woolcock Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Pete SmithClinical Medicine, Griffith University, Southport, QLD Australia.
Sinthia Bosnic-AnticevichQuality Use of Respiratory Medicines Group, Woolcock Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
The University of Sydney · AUGriffith University · AUUniversity of Aberdeen · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPatients with allergic rhinitis often trivialise their condition, self-manage inappropriately, and would benefit from health care intervention. The primary point of health care contact for these self-managing allergic rhinitis patients is the community pharmacy. With the majority of allergic rhinitis treatments being available for purchase over the counter, without health care professional contact, we know little about how the patients self-manage. This study aims to identify the burden of allergic rhinitis in the community pharmacy and to identify key opportunity for intervention.

methodsPharmacy customers, who purchased nasal treatment in a community pharmacy, were approached with a research-administered questionnaire that collected data on medical history, symptoms and products purchased for the treatment of nasal symptoms.

resultsOf the 296 participants, 69.9% self-managed with over-the-counter medications; with 68% experiencing allergic rhinitis symptoms and only 44.3% of this subgroup had a doctor's diagnosis. Nasal congestion (73.6%) was most commonly experienced and oral antihistamines were most commonly purchased (44.3%), indicating a pattern of suboptimal management. A third of participants (36.5%) experienced moderate-severe symptoms, persistently, which impacted on their daily living. Medication selection was mainly based on pharmacy customers' perceptions of medication effectiveness (47.6%).

conclusionA majority of participants that self-selected over-the-counter medications have symptoms consistent with allergic rhinitis, with almost half not having received a diagnosis. Medication purchasing patterns suggest that sub-optimal therapeutic decisions made by participants, even when they are experiencing significant symptoms. This study uncovers the hidden burden of allergic rhinitis in the community pharmacy and a missed opportunity to intervene and refer if necessary. Patients need to be guided through appropriate treatment as this study showed that many should be referred to a medical practitioner.

Indexed as

Allergic rhinitisConsult pharmacistsSelf-manageSuboptimal management

Identifiers

PMID29201385
PMCPMC5696909
OpenAlexW2769594294

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.