Acceso a servicios profesionales farmacéuticos: motivaciones, preferencias, barreras, conocimientos y uso de las TIC en pacientes de Antioquia

Objective: To identify patients’ knowledge and needs regarding pharmaceutical care services in drugstores, pharmacies-drugstores, and outpatient pharmaceutical services in Antioquia, Colombia. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with users of pharmaceutical establishments and outpatient pharmaceutical services. A semi-structured interview was designed, divided into three parts: sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge and perceived needs, and use of Information and Communication Technologies.Results: Of the 30 people interviewed, 53.3 % were users of Pharmaceutical Establishments (Drugstores, Pharmacies-Drugstores) and 46.7 % were users of Pharmaceutical Services. 100 % of the users of Pharmaceutical Establishments visited to acquire medications and other products, while 100 % of the users of Pharmaceutical Services visited solely to collect medications. Regarding knowledge about pharmaceutical care services, 10 % of the respondents correctly defined dispensing, while 6.7 % adequately defined health education. In contrast, 26.7 % agreed with the definition of pharmacovigilance. Additionally, regarding access to dispensing and health education services, respondents reported accessing these services at rates of 30 % and 10 %, respectively. Meanwhile, 96.7 % of the respondents stated they did not access pharmacovigilance services.Conclusions: Obstacles were identified in the provision of information and care, such as the willingness and knowledge of staff, their lack of time, and a focus on sales. These findings highlight the need to improve staff training and patient care.