ArticleAntimicrobial resistance and infection control2019
Community pharmacy staff's response to symptoms of common infections: a pseudo-patient study.
Article in Antimicrobial resistance and infection control, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 25 papers.
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Who cites it
25 citing papers in PubMed, 39 citations in OpenAlex.
- Community pharmacists' history taking practice in responding to acute uncomplicated cystitis: A simulated patient study from Sudan.PloS one · 2026Article
- Non-Prescription Dispensing of Antibiotics in Community Pharmacies in Port Sudan: A Simulated Patient Study Using a Sore Throat Scenario in a Conflict-Affected Setting.Integrated pharmacy research & practice · 2026Article
- Medication Recommendation, Counseling, and Pricing for Nasal Sprays in German Community Pharmacies: A Simulated Patient Investigation.Advances in respiratory medicine · 2025Article
- Overdiagnosis of dental caries in South Korea: a pseudo-patient study.BMC oral health · 2024Article
- Empowering Thai community pharmacists in combating antimicrobial resistance: Qualitative insight and sentiment analysis.Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy · 2024Article
- Pharmacies and use of antibiotics: a cross sectional study in 19 Arab countries.Antimicrobial resistance and infection control · 2024Article
- Inappropriate antibiotic access practices at the community level in Eastern Ethiopia.Scientific reports · 2024Article
- Pharmacists' perspectives on recommending herbal medicines for acute infections: a qualitative study.BJGP open · 2024Article
- The Extent of Antibiotic Dispensing in Self-Medication Encounters in Sudan: A Simulated Patient Study Focusing on Cefixime Sale.Integrated pharmacy research & practice · 2023Article
- Evaluation of pharmacist's practices regarding the antimicrobials dispensing: a simulated patient study.BMC health services research · 2022Article
- Magnitude of non-prescribed antibiotic dispensing in Ethiopia: a multicentre simulated client study with a focus on non-urban towns.The Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy · 2022Article
- Antimicrobial dispensing process in community pharmacies: a scoping review.Antimicrobial resistance and infection control · 2022Article
- Inappropriate supply of antibiotics for common viral infections by community pharmacies in Vietnam: A standardised patient survey.The Lancet regional health. Western Pacific · 2022Article
- Antimicrobial Use and Management of Childhood Diarrhea at Community Drug Retail Outlets in Eastern Ethiopia: A Matched Questionnaire-Based and Simulated Patient-Case Study.Pediatric health, medicine and therapeutics · 2022Article
- Article
- Standardised patient study to assess tuberculosis case detection within the private pharmacy sector in Vietnam.BMJ global health · 2021Article
- Community pharmacists' management of self-limiting infections: a simulation study in Akwa Ibom State, South-South Nigeria.African health sciences · 2021Article
- Factors Related to Antibiotic Supply without a Prescription for Common Infections: A Cross-Sectional National Survey in Sri Lanka.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2021Article
- Evaluation of Antibiotic Supply Decisions by Community Pharmacists in Thailand: A Vignette Study.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2021Article
- Are We Making the Most of Community Pharmacies? Implementation of Antimicrobial Stewardship Measures in Community Pharmacies: A Narrative Review.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2021Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Inappropriate over-the-counter supply of antibiotics in pharmacies for common infections is recognised as a source of antibiotic misuse that can worsen the global burden of antibiotic resistance. Objectives: To assess responses of community pharmacy staff to pseudo-patients presenting with symptoms of common infections and factors associated with such behaviour. Methods: A cross-sectional pseudo-patient study was conducted from Jan-Sept 2017 among 242 community pharmacies in Sri Lanka. Each pharmacy was visited by one trained pseudo-patient who pretended to have a relative with clinical symptoms of one of four randomly selected clinical scenarios of common infections (three viral infections: acute sore throat, common cold, acute diarrhoea) and a bacterial uncomplicated urinary tract infection. Pseudo-patients requested an unspecified medicine for their condition. Interactions between the attending pharmacy staff and the pseudo-patients were audio recorded (with prior permission). Interaction data were also entered into a data collection form immediately after each visit. Results: In 41% (99/242) of the interactions, an antibiotic was supplied illegally without a prescription. Of these, 66% ( Conclusions: Illegal and inappropriate dispensing of antibiotics was evident in the participating community pharmacies. This may be a public health threat to Sri Lanka and beyond. Strategies to improve the appropriate dispensing practice of antibiotics among community pharmacies should be considered seriously.
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