Biomedical subjects

Dannielle C O'Donnell

Publications and source records attributed to Dannielle C O'Donnell.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2004

Combating the obesity epidemic: community pharmacists' counseling on obesity management.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is reaching an epidemic proportion in the US. Nearly two-thirds (64.7%) of US adults are overweight or obese. Given the myriad of issues related to the management of obesity, community pharmacists can facilitate weight loss among their patients. OBJECTIVE: To identify factors that influence the frequency of counseling obese patients by community pharmacists. METHODS: A mail survey was sent to a random sample of 400 Texas community pharmacists. The questionnaire collected information on frequency of counseling obese patients, perceived comfort level with counseling obese patients, perceived effectiveness of various obesity treatments, and perceived confidence in achieving positive outcomes as a result of counseling. Demographic information was also collected. Descriptive statistics, correlational analyses, and t-tests were used to examine the data. RESULTS: A usable response rate of 35.2% was obtained (139 completed surveys out of 395 assumed delivered). Overall, pharmacists counseled patients rarely to sometimes about various aspects of obesity management. Correlational analyses revealed that pharmacists' frequency of counseling about obesity management was significantly and positively associated with their comfort level with counseling obese patients (r = 0.47; p < 0.001). Higher levels of confidence in achieving positive outcomes as a result of counseling (r = 0.39; p < 0.001) and higher levels of perceived effectiveness of obesity management options (r = 0.18; p = 0.037) were also significantly associated with higher levels of counseling about obesity management. CONCLUSIONS: Obesity counseling by pharmacists was positively correlated with their perceived comfort with counseling obese patients, confidence in achieving positive outcomes, and effectiveness of obesity management options.

Community Pharmacy Services↗

PubMed2002

Hormonal interventions for menstrual migraines.

Menstrual migraines are a treatment challenge for both the migraineur and the health care professional. Although some women with menstrual migraines may respond to acute and preventive therapies for nonmenstrual migraines, others continue to suffer from refractory menstrual migraines. These women may respond to hormonal interventions, which may reduce the frequency of menstrual migraines, thereby lessening the need for abortive migraine therapies, decreasing migraine-related disability, and improving quality of life. Menstrual migraines have a distinct pathophysiology that differs from menstrual-related migraines. Published studies have shed light on the effectiveness of a variety of hormonal interventions, including oral contraceptives, which may be administered with an extended-dosing strategy; estrogen replacement therapy; selective estrogen receptor modifiers; danazol; and leuprolide.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Barriers to counseling patients with obesity: a study of Texas community pharmacists.

OBJECTIVE: To assess barriers to the counseling of obese patients and identify pharmacists' characteristics associated with these barriers. DESIGN: Cross-sectional mail survey. SETTING: Texas. PARTICIPANTS: 139 community pharmacists. INTERVENTION: Self-administered questionnaire. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Respondents' perceived barriers to pharmacists' counseling of obese patients. RESULTS: The top three barriers to counseling included lack of time (76.8%), lack of patient demand or expectations (55.8%), and lack of reimbursement/compensation (49.3%). Pharmacists indicated that they rarely to sometimes counseled obese patients and were somewhat comfortable with counseling about obesity management. They perceived obesity management strategies to be somewhat effective in weight loss, but were neutral regarding their confidence in achieving positive outcomes with counseling. Pharmacists who were more experienced were more likely to indicate that obesity is controllable without medications. Those who considered obesity controllable without medications were significantly more likely to view the various obesity management strategies as less effective, compared with those who did not share this belief. Pharmacists who viewed lack of privacy as a barrier were significantly less confident in achieving positive outcomes as a result of counseling. Creating awareness among patients about pharmacists' ability to counsel was perceived as most important in overcoming barriers. CONCLUSION: Pharmacists identified several barriers to counseling of obese patients. Pharmacists' demographics and beliefs about obesity were significantly associated with their perceived barriers.

Community Pharmacy Services↗