Proposition and Evaluation of the Educational Activities for Effective Utilization of Opioids Performed by Pharmacists in Palliative Home Care

Recently, it is required that community pharmacists participate in palliative home care. In this study, we designed educational activities for palliative home care to local residents as a new approach performed by community pharmacists. In addition, we proposed this approach to community pharmacists and discussed its roles to promote palliative home care in the future. We designed and held an educational seminar on palliative home care focusing on safe use of opioids in local residents. After this seminar, we conducted a questionnaire survey of the participants. Then, we made a proposition of this new approach by presentation of a seminar to community pharmacists (members of "Heartfulcare INC"). After the proposition, a questionnaire survey of the seminar on palliative home care was performed. In total, 79 people participated in the educational seminar. Most (87.3%) participants thought that it was informative. Furthermore, about 40% of participants answered "misunderstanding of opioids" or "anxiety regarding side effects of opioids" were removed following the seminar. All participating pharmacists evaluated the seminar as useful. The educational activity in the present study seemed effective to local residents on their misunderstanding of opioids. Furthermore, this approach was appreciated as an important role of community pharmacists in the palliative home care not only by local residents but also by pharmacists themselves. Therefore it seems important to continue such activities so as to improve palliative home care in the future.