Morbidity analysis of pharmacists during the COVID-19 pandemic (a literature review)

Abstract

The aim of the work is to analyze and summarize the literature data regarding the morbidity of pharmacists in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and to determine the prospects for further research in this direction. Results. The catastrophic spread of the coronavirus infection (COVID-19) across the planet has become a challenge to the resilience of healthcare systems around the world. Pharmacists, as part of the healthcare professional team, have a unique role in the ongoing global fight against the pandemic. At the same time they are directly influenced by adverse environmental factors. Based on the literature data integration, it was determined that pharmacists are exposed to psychological stress, they are susceptible to allergic, oncological diseases, as well as diseases of the musculoskeletal system, and to primary varicose veins of the lower extremities. In addition, when providing pharmaceutical care, pharmacists may be at a very high risk for COVID-19. A review of scientific professional literature over the past 5 years has shown the lack of targeted research concerning the structure and level of morbidity with temporary disability of pharmacists in Ukraine and in other countries of the world. This fact and previously conducted studies give grounds to assert that there are significant difficulties in providing, collecting, accumulating and analyzing indicators of morbidity with temporary disability of pharmacists in Ukraine both at the state level and at the level of individual pharmaceutical enterprises. Today, we need to develop a methodology for assessing the relationship between the morbidity of pharmacists and their working conditions, and to find fundamentally new approaches to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection. This should result in improvement of the working conditions in the pharmaceutical sector and in the health care sector in Ukraine. Conclusions. Analysis and summary of literature data on the morbidity of pharmacists in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic have revealed the need for further scientific research regarding the substantiation of factors affecting the structure and level of their incidence. The pandemic has created a need to develop scientifically based measures to increase the resilience of workers in the pharmaceutical health sector of Ukraine to the negative factors of the working environment impact on their life andhealth.