Nurse and Pharmaceutical Care (NuPhaC)

D3P-FOCUS | Diversity, Polypharmacy, and Pharmaceutical Care:

Facilitating Optimal Care through Understanding and Support

Influence of diversity on dealing with polypharmacy; supporting pharmaceutical care

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Background

The population of Antwerp, Flanders and Belgium is getting more and more diverse. Diversity means hetrogeneity and individuality and is all around society. In health care diversity is associated with problems and difficulties. Numerous research demonstrates inequality in access and use of healthcare; health care outcomes; and differences in quality of care received.

Medication is worldwide the most used intervention in health care.
Dealing with complex pharmacotherapy or polypharmacy (use of 5 or more medicines) can be quite a challenge for the patient. Tailored pharmaceutical care can help to reduce the negative impact of polypharmacy on quality of live and improve medication adherence. In order to provide tailored-made care for the diverse population, it is important to have insight into the influence of factors of diversity that might impact dealing with polypharmacy.

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DiPoPhaC-project aims

• An inquiry into research on polypharmacy and diversity (Realist Review)

• To explore what aspects of diversity might influence dealing with polypharmacy

• To develop (and evaluate) recommendations for health care providers to support them in their work with a diverse patient population.