Effect of Pharmacist-Provided Patient Education on Self-Care Practices and Satisfaction with Biologic Therapy among Patients with Ulcerative Colitis

Abstract

Background: Pharmacists play a significant role in the management of Ulcerative Colitis (UC). Pharmacist-provided patient education may improve self-care practices and treatment satisfaction among patients receiving chronic medications for UC. Objective: To evaluate the impact of pharmacist-provided patient education on self-care practices and treatment satisfaction among UC patients. Methods: A quasi-experimental, controlled study was conducted among UC patients who attended the Gastroenterology and Hepatology Teaching Hospital in Medical City Complex/Baghdad. A total of 95 patients were enrolled: 48 in the intervention group who received pharmacist-provided education and 47 in the control group who received standard care. Patients were assessed at baseline and after two months. The Arabic versions of the Self-Care of Chronic Illness Inventory (SC-CII) and the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication (TSQM) were utilized to assess self-care practices and treatment satisfaction, respectively. The SC-CII consists of self-care maintenance, self-care monitoring, self-care management, and self-care confidence domains. The TSQM includes effectiveness, side effects, convenience, and the global satisfaction scale. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software. Results: Pharmacist-provided patient education significantly improved self-care maintenance and self-care confidence domains, whereas no significant changes were observed in the self-care monitoring and self-care management domains within the intervention group. The control group experienced deterioration in all SC-CII domains after two months. There was a significant improvement across all TSQM scales in the intervention group, whereas no change was observed in the effectiveness, convenience, and global satisfaction scales, with deterioration in the side effect scale within the control group. Conclusion: Pharmacist-provided patient education significantly improved self-care maintenance and self-care confidence domains of the SC-CII and enhanced treatment satisfaction among UC patients. No statistically significant changes were observed in self-care monitoring and self-care management domains after two months.