SELFCARE FOCUS

A selection of newly published papers on self-care from the worldwide literature

Every week, we will provide a brief summary and a link to the published abstract of newly published papers selected from the worldwide literature as being of particular interest to the SelfCare community.

HOW LONG DOES A COUGH LAST? COMPARING PATIENTS’ EXPECTATIONS WITH DATA FROM A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE.

By: Ebell MH, Lundgren J, Youngpairoj S.

Annals of Family Medicine 2013; 11: 5-13.

Summary: Expectations held by the public on the natural course of upper respiratory illness may lead to antibiotic overuse. This review found the mean duration of coughs to be 17.8 days, while patients expected to only be bothered for 7.2 to 9.3 days. This mismatch should be targeted during efforts to reduce inappropriate antibiotic use.

Abstract.

 

SWEDISH TEENAGERS AND OVER-THE-COUNTER ANALGESICSRESPONSIBLE, CASUAL OR CARELESS USE.

By: Holmström IK, Bastholm-Rahmner P, Bernsten C, Röing M, Björkman I.

Res Social Adm Pharm. 2013 Jul 16. pii: S1551-7411(13)00104-6. doi: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2013.06.004. [Epub ahead of print].

Summary: Focus groups of high school students were used to assess their views of OTC analgesics. While most of the teenagers held responsible attitudes toward these medicines, some had attitudes that ranged from casual to careless.

Abstract.

 

EFFICACY OF AN OVER-THE-COUNTER INTERVENTION FOLLOW-UP PROGRAM IN COMMUNITY PHARMACIES.

By: Bosse N, Machado M, Mistry A

Journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association 2012; 52: 535-40

Summary: Pharmacists and 4th year students gave advice to patients, then conducted follow-up phone calls in order to assess clinical improvement. Among the patients who adhered to the advice provided, 82.6% experienced significant symptom relief. Relief dropped off considerably in patients who only partially adhered to the advice.

Abstract.

 

A DECISION-ANALYSIS TOOL FOR BENEFIT-RISK ASSESSMENT OF NONPRESCRIPTION DRUGS.

By: Brass EP, Lofstedt R, Renn O

Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2013; 53: 475-82

Summary: Evaluation of an agent for OTC status poses unique challenges to regulatory bodies. Decisions are made with consideration to the benefits and risks under consumer-directed use versus professionally-supervised use. In a move to support effective benefit-risk evaluation of such agents, the authors propose a modified value-tree framework to identify the important benefit and risk attributes within a decision analysis tool.

Abstract.

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