PHR 118

Social Pharmacy

Chapter 1

Cyprus Health and Social Sciences University

Faculty of Pharmacy

1
 Definition of Social Pharmacy:

• The drug and medicine sector is studied from the social scientific and humanistic
perspectives.
• Social pharmacy consist of all the social factors that influence medicine use such
as medicine and health related beliefs, attitudes, rules, relationship and processes.

• OR

• Social pharmacy may be defined as the discipline dealing with the role of
medicines from the social, scientific and humanistic perspectives.
 Scope of Social Pharmacy in Improving The Public
Health:
• Health financing

• In an effort to protect vulnerable populations from financial hardships, pharmacists

ensure the provision of cost-effective health care through rational use of medical products
and modern technologies. Majority of published studies have demonstrated the potential of
pharmacists in substantially increasing health care savings across various settings,
attributing such result to pharmacists’ expertise in reducing and preventing medication-
related problems and in providing cheaper alternatives or suggesting medicines that are
covered by insurance.
 Scope of Social Pharmacy in Improving The Public
Health:
• Medical products, vaccines, and technologies

• With an increasingly wide range of new and analogous medical products, vaccines, and
technologies, the complexity of pharmacy practice continues to broaden. The roles of
pharmacists are not only limited to medical products, but also include vaccines and
medical devices, especially those that demand special knowledge with regard to uses and
risks.
• Pharmacists, therefore, are responsible for ensuring the efficacy, integrity, and security
of medical products, devices, and, vaccines to safeguard a patient’s health.
 Scope of Social Pharmacy in Improving The Public
Health:
• Health services

• As medicine experts, pharmacists hold the responsibility to deliver effective, safe, and
quality medicines and services to achieve optimal health outcomes. Competency in their
discipline and up-to-date knowledge, therefore, are pharmacists’ core in tailoring
information and advice to their patients.
 Scope of Social Pharmacy in Improving The Public
Health:
• Health workforce

• Well-performing pharmacists are responsive to patient’s needs and preferences. In fact,

involving patients in the health care decision-making process has shown greater
satisfaction and reduced complaints to offered services. Given the prototype shift from a
product-oriented to a patient-centered pharmacy service, putting the interests of patients
and treating them with dignity is a must.
 Scope of Social Pharmacy in Improving The Public
Health:
• Health information

• As one of the most-accessible health care professionals, pharmacists are involved in

health screening and surveillance programs - checking immunization status and detecting
potential public health hazards. With reliable and timely health information, pharmacists
support the development of the public health system and collectively reduce vulnerability
to public health threats.
 Scope of Social Pharmacy in Improving The Public
Health:
• Leadership and governance

• Pharmacists take part in public health policy development; linking disease prevalence
and drug utilization, pharmacists enable development of effective health policies, as
well as they allow disease prevention to be placed within a larger context.

• In addition, pharmacists contribute to the emergencies in terms of designing response

plans and protocols, and they contribute to resource mobilization through optimization
of medication use and distribution.
 Scope of Social Pharmacy in Improving The Public
Health:
• Private and public health care.

1.Private health care system

2.Public health care system.
 Scope of Social Pharmacy in Improving The Public
Health:
1. Private health care system.

In the private system new and improve quality equipment and hygienic system provide to
the patient and also provided the proper and counsel medication by the pharmacists or
nurses.

Staffs (doctors, nurses, pharmacists) and workers are very active in private and timely
checkup the patient conditions and provide the sufficient drug doses and treatment.
 Scope of Social Pharmacy in Improving The Public
Health:
2. Public health care system.

• The government open up new Public Health Care System to full fill the poor and needy
persons need for their treatment.
• These systems are very helpful in rural area.
• In public sector many advancement equipment and hygienic materials are provided by the
government for the checkup and diagnosis of the patients.
• In public sector also appointed well educated and trend medical professional (Doctors, Nurses,
Pharmacists).
• In public system, medication and checkup facilities provide without any fee or payment.
• Government also provided the regular vaccination and separate the different department
according to patients needs like (Cardiology department, ophthalmology department,
oncology department, tuberculosis department, gynecology department).
Role of Pharmacists in Public Health

1. Review Prescriptions
2.Dispense Prescription / Non-Prescription Medicines
3.Provide Patient Counselling / Education
4.Hospital and Community Pharmacy Management
5.Expertise on Medications
6.Proficiency on drugs / pharmaceuticals
7.Entrepreneurship and Leadership
8.Deliver Primary and Preventive Healthcare
9.Professional, Ethical and Legal Practice
10.Continuing Professional Development
 Concept of Health

• WHO Definition:
- A condition or quality of the human organism expressing the adequate functioning of the
organism in given conditions, kinetic or environmental.

- Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely an absence
of disease or infirmity and the ability to lead a socially and economically productive life.
 Various Dimensions/Type of health:

- The concept of Health refers to many Types or dimensions such as

1. Physical Health Dimensions:

• It is defined as state in which every cell and every organ is functioning at optimum capacity
and imperfect harmony with the rest of the body.
• It refers to perfect functioning of body.
• It indicate that all body organ are structurally and functional in a normal state and their the
organ and organ systems.
 Various Dimensions/Type of health:

2. Mental health Dimensions:

• Mental Health has been defined as “ a state of balance between the individual and the
surrounding world, a state of harmony between oneself and others, a coexistence between the
realities of the self and that of other people and that of the environment”.
 Various Dimensions/Type of health:
3. Social Health Dimensions:

• Social wellbeing implies “ Quality and quantity of an individuals interpersonal ties and the
extent of involvement with the community”.
• The social health consider the endive member of society and his health status in relation
to social conditions of the social group and which he life.

4. Spiritual Health:

• Spiritual health in this context, refers to that part of the individual which reaches out and
strives for meaning and purpose in life.
 Various Dimensions/Type of health:
5. Emotional (Initially mental and emotional dimensions were seen one in the same thing but
as more research becomes available a definite difference is emerging. Mental health can be
seen as
“Knowing” or “Cognition”, while Emotional health refers to “Feeling”

6. Other Dimensions include Philosophical, Cultural, Socioeconomic, environmental,

educational, nutritional, curative and preventive.
 Determinants of Health:

Health dose not exists in isolation. It can be influenced by many factor lie with in individual & society this factor interact & can
promote or Determinants the Health of the community.
 Type of indicators:
A number of indicator are used for the assessment of health

Mortality
Morbidity Indicator
Disability Rate
Nutritional status Indicator (Sulvian’s Index)
Health care delivery Indicator
Utilization rates Indicator
Social and Mental health Indicator
Environmental
Socio-economic
Health Policy
Indicators of Quality of life
 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

 The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, were
adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect
the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity.

 The 17 SDGs are integrated—they recognize that action in one area will affect outcomes
in others, and that development must balance social, economic and environmental
sustainability.
 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
 The 17 SDGs are:

1. No Poverty, 10. Reducing Inequality

2. Zero Hunger, 11. Sustainable Cities and Communities
3. Good Health and Well-being, 12. Responsible Consumption and Production
4. Quality Education, 13. Climate Action
5. Gender Equality 14. Life Below Water
6. Clean Water and Sanitation 15. Life On Land
7. Affordable and Clean Energy 16. Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
8. Decent Work and Economic Growth 17. Partnerships for the Goals.
9. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure