*3.2. Counselling*

#### 3.2.1. Extent of Counselling in the Subgroups

56.1% of customers requesting prescription medication (n = 6050) received counselling on one or more subjects. This was also the case for 68.0% of customers requesting OTC medication or presenting a symptom (n = 1885) and 46.7% of customers requesting non-medical products (n = 905). The reasons why customers did not receive counselling were: the drug/product was for someone else, the customer was familiar with the drug/product, the customer had received counselling at the general practitioner (GP)/hospital, the customer had a language barrier or the customer was a doctor/nurse.

## 3.2.2. Counselling Subjects

Table 1 presents an overview of the subjects covered by the counselling.

"Drug/product use" was the most frequent subject in counselling for the total study population and in all subgroups. It accounted for 58.4% of all customers who received counselling; 56.4% of customers who requested prescription medication received counselling; 48.8% of customers who requested OTC medication or who presented a symptom received counselling and 67.6% of customers who requested non-medical products received counselling.

In counselling of customers who requested prescription medication, the second and third most frequent subjects were "adverse reactions" and "effect of the drug" (30.9% and 29.0% of customers received counselling).

In counselling costumers who requested OTC medication/presenting a symptom, the second and third most frequent subjects were "effect of the drug" and "personal care" (32.9% and 24.6% of customers received counselling).

In counselling costumers who requested non-medical products, the second and third most frequent subjects were "personal care" and "effect of the drug" (34.0% and 27.6% of customers received counselling).


**Table 1.** Subjects covered in counselling for the total study population and the three subgroups. The most frequent counselling subjects are highlighted \* (threshold value 15.0%).

\*\* The percentage is over 100% due to the fact that some customers received counselling on more than one subject. GP = general practitioner; OTC = over-the-counter.

The pharmacy technicians estimated that their counselling saved 25.2% of the customers (n = 2621) a visit to the GP, broken down by 22.9% of customers requesting prescription medication (n = 1383), 30.7% of customers requesting OTC medication or presenting a symptom (n = 578) and 17.7% of customers requesting non-medical products (n = 160).

#### *3.3. Occurrence and Types of DRPs*

One or more DRPs were identified for 15.8% of the total study population (n = 2800), 17.8% of customers requesting only prescription medication (n = 1917), 12.7% of customers requesting only OTC

medication or presenting a symptom (n = 352), and 6.9% of customers requesting only non-medical products (n = 133).

Table 2 shows the types of DRPs identified in the study. The types of DRPs are divided into two categories: (1) treatment effectiveness and safety problems and (2) logistical problems.


**Table 2.** Drug-related problems (DRPs) in the total study population and in the three categories of customers. The most frequent DRPs are highlighted \* (threshold value 8.0%).

\*\* The percentage is over 100% due to the fact that some customers had more than one DRP.

#### 3.3.1. Types of DRP—Treatment Effectiveness and Safety Problems

The most frequent DRPs related to treatment effectiveness and safety vary between the subgroups (Table 2). "Adverse reactions" and "non-adherence" were the most common DRPs for customers requesting prescription medication (8.1% and 8.0% of customers with DRPs).

The most common DRPs relating to OTC medication or a symptom were "inappropriate drug/product", "symptom that requires a visit to the GP" (17.6% and 17.3% of customers with DRPs).

Regarding customers requesting non-medical products, the most frequent DRPs were "inappropriate drug/product" and "symptom that requires a visit to the GP" (27.1% and 8.3% of customers with DRPs).

#### 3.3.2. Types of DRP—Logistical Problems

The most frequent logistical problems identified for customers requesting prescription medication were that the prescription was not available, the drug/product requested was not available and the prescription was incomplete or inaccurate (30.6%, 22.7% and 8.7% of customers with DRPs).

A frequent DRP for customers requesting OTC medication, or presenting a symptom, was that the drug/product they requested was not available (12.5% of customers with DRPs). This was also a frequent DRP for customers requesting non-medical products (21.1% of customers with DRPs).

#### 3.3.3. Solving of Identified DRPs

The pharmacy technicians estimated that 51.9% of customers with DRPs go<sup>t</sup> their DRP solved, 18.5% of customers with DRPs go<sup>t</sup> their problems partially solved and 20.5% of customers with DRPs did not ge<sup>t</sup> their problems solved (n = 1452; n = 517; n = 575). For 9.1% of customers with DRPs, the pharmacy technicians answered "don't know" or gave no answer (n = 256).
