This study compared the factor structure and burnout scores obtained on the Maslach Burnout Inventory from 84 pharmacists in Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO) with the normative data for USA pharmacists. Results provided empirical support for the reliability and validity of the inventory to measure burnout within the profession of pharmacy. Values of Cronbach coefficient alpha for subscales of Emotional Exhaustion, Depersonalization, and Personal Accomplishment were similar to those obtained with the normative sample. Factor analysis was conducted to yield the best three-factor solution. Derived factor loadings matched the three hypothesized subscales. On Personal Accomplishment the mean subscale score for HMO pharmacists was significantly higher than the normative score. Given limitations of the small sample, research is indicated to substantiate use of the inventory among HMO pharmacists.

No abstract

Over the past several years, there has been a considerable rise in the availability of herbal products and other natural supplements, which are subject to limited FDA regulation. 1 Over 500 herbs are marketed in the US as bulk plants or a portion of plants, as well as teas, powders, liquids, extracts, tablets, and capsules. In addition, multi-ingredient products are proliferating and are easily available in supermarkets, grocery stores, drugstores, health food stores, and through the Internet. 2 Mass media marketing efforts by herbal companies, including television features and large-scale advertisements have increased consumer access to information about the availability of these products. Thus, it is not surprising that many herbal products have made their way into patients' selfprescribed therapy, often resulting in harm to the patient.Researchers have extensively examined the trend of herbal use among the general population of the US. Reports on rates of herbal use range from 1.8% to 77%, depending upon the focus of the study (herbal use 3-9 vs complementary and alternative medicine use 10-14 ), recall time frame (past month, 12 months, or ever), and the population under study (health maintenance organization, 6 specific disease condition, 7 general population 8,10,12 ). The results of these studies indicate 2 important aspects of herbal use. First, many patients use herbal products in conjunction with prescription medication because they believe that herbal products are "natural" and safe. 3-5 Second, there is little communication between patients and healthcare professionals about patients' herbal product use. Studies suggest that over 70% of people using these agents Background: Several studies have reported lack of patient-physician communication regarding herbal use. However, reasons for this lack of communication are not well understood.Objective: To determine, explore, and identify reasons for lack of patient-physician communication about herbal use.Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, a systematic sample of 1,000 adult Ohio residents was surveyed through a 29 item questionnaire. Survey items were adapted from earlier instruments evaluating complementary and alternative use. Descriptive and univariate statistics were run using SPSS version 10.0.Results: Of 210 usable responses, almost half (47.6%) of the participants reported that they were either currently using herbal products or had used them in the past, with 1 in 16 using herbal products daily. Fortyeight percent of these respondents indicated that they had never had a discussion with their physician about using herbal medicines. A similar percentage (45%) of individuals using herbal agents had not told their physicians about any of the products they used. The top 3 reasons for informing physicians of herbal use were that the physician needs to be aware of all of the products used, the physician may know whether herbals work, and the physician understands the interactions of herbals with prescribed drugs. The main reason that patients did not ...

Background: The 3 major options for purchase of medications by consumers are community pharmacy, mail order pharmacy, and Internet pharmacy. Certain consumer characteristics and motivating factors may be related to the type of pharmacy a person chooses to patronize.Objective: To describe and compare consumers who use Internet pharmacy versus those who choose community or mail order pharmacy and identify and compare the motivating factors for the use or lack of use of Internet versus community or mail order pharmacies.Methods: Two hundred seventy-eight residents of a major Midwest city were surveyed by mail questionnaire. A total of 91 responses were received, yielding a response rate of 32.7%. Descriptive statistics and Kendall's W coefficient of concordance were performed to analyze the respondents' answers.Results: Internet pharmacy patrons, compared with community pharmacy and mail order pharmacy patrons, were more likely to be male, younger, white, married, wealthier, and more educated. Respondents using Internet pharmacy listed quality and convenience as highly ranked factors in choosing a pharmacy, while respondents using community pharmacy listed quality and reliability and those using mail order pharmacy ranked reliability and convenience most highly. Conclusions:This study suggests that characteristics and motivating factors may differ for customers who choose Internet pharmacy instead of community or mail order pharmacy. As this study was exploratory in nature, additional studies are needed to draw more definitive conclusions.

No abstract