Pharmacy, School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia.
Int J Pharm Pract. 2021 Aug 11;29(4):336-343. doi: 10.1093/ijpp/riab022.
Low back pain (LBP) is a serious and debilitating condition that necessitates proper assessment and management. Community pharmacists are ideally positioned to interact with these patients and provide therapeutic recommendations in line with LBP clinical guidelines, which have changed in recent years. Understanding what therapeutic strategies pharmacists recommend and why, can provide insights into whether these recommendations are in line with current clinical resources.
The objectives of this study were to examine community pharmacists' views, knowledge and practices in LBP management compared to current clinical guidelines; and investigate their views regarding the accessibility and use of clinical LBP resources.
A cross-sectional study of Australian community pharmacists was conducted using a structured, self-administered, anonymous online survey. Primary outcomes assessed were pharmacists' views, practices and recommendations in low back pain of different severities, as well as views on the use and accessibility of clinical guidelines.
A total of 176 pharmacists completed the survey. Most recommended non-pharmacological strategies to manage mild symptoms for both adult and teenage groups, escalating to pharmacological with increasing symptom severity. Approximately 75% reported they would recommend ibuprofen over paracetamol for low back pain. Approximately 40% agreed there is difficulty in finding and accessing clinical resources and more than 40% reported being unaware that there are specific guidelines available for the management of LBP symptoms.
Results from this study highlight an important need to further improve the knowledge and awareness of pharmacists in low back pain management, including locating and accessing clinical resources.
下背痛（LBP）是一种严重且使人虚弱的疾病，需要进行适当的评估和管理。社区药剂师最适合与这些患者互动，并根据近年来发生变化的 LBP 临床指南提供治疗建议。了解药剂师推荐的治疗策略及其原因，可以洞察这些建议是否符合当前的临床资源。
本研究的目的是检查社区药剂师在 LBP 管理方面的观点、知识和实践与当前临床指南的比较；并调查他们对临床 LBP 资源的可及性和使用的看法。
对澳大利亚社区药剂师进行了一项横断面研究，使用了结构化、自我管理、匿名在线调查。主要评估结果是药剂师对不同严重程度的下背痛的看法、实践和建议，以及对临床指南的使用和可及性的看法。
共有 176 名药剂师完成了调查。大多数药剂师建议对成人和青少年群体的轻度症状采用非药物治疗策略，随着症状严重程度的增加，升级为药物治疗。约 75%的药剂师报告说，他们会建议使用布洛芬而不是对乙酰氨基酚来治疗下背痛。约 40%的药剂师表示，他们在寻找和获取临床资源方面存在困难，超过 40%的药剂师报告说他们不知道有特定的指南可用于管理 LBP 症状。
这项研究的结果强调了进一步提高药剂师在下背痛管理方面的知识和意识的重要性，包括寻找和获取临床资源。
