Prospects for the development of the pharmaceutical care to residents of small and remote settlements (on the example of the Odessa region)

Abstract

Introduction. The pharmaceutical care as a component of medical care plays a significant role in ensuring the proper quality of life of residents of small and remote settlements (SRS). However, the accumulated unresolved issues of pharmaceutical care do not contribute to the full satisfaction of the needs of residents of small and remote settlements. The aim of the work is to characterize the comparative advantages, challenges and risks of the prospects for the development of pharmaceutical care to the residents of small and remote settlements in order to improve their quality of life. Material & methods. The information base of this work was based on 26 strategies of socio-economic development of Odessa region and its rural united territorial communities. Within the framework of the research, the methods were applied of system approach, information search, SWOT analysis, and generalization. Results & discussion. 26 strategies of social and economic development of Odessa region and its rural united territorial communities on rural medicine and pharmacy are analyzed in detail. Based on its results, a set of 38 factors has been formed that have or may have an impact on the state and prospects of pharmaceutical care for residents of small and remote settlements. With the help of SWOT analysis, a list of strengths and weaknesses was formed, which includes 3 and 12 factors, respectively, as well as a list of opportunities and threats (14 and 9 factors, respectively). A cross-analysis in the sectors «Comparative advantages», «Challenges» and «Risks» was performed of these factors. Depending on the combination of the internal and external factors, three development scenarios of pharmaceutical care to the residents of small and remote settlements are modeled. Conclusions. Based on the study of 26 development strategies of Odessa region and rural united territorial communities, it was found that the issue of pharmaceutical care development was given little attention to the residents of small and remote settlements. As a result of the SWOT analysis, are formulated the comparative advantages, challenges, and risks of the prospects for the development of pharmaceutical care to the residents of small and remote settlements. Three possible scenarios are described for the development of pharmaceutical care to the residents of small and remote settlements, namely – pessimistic, realistic, and optimistic. It is noted that the most likely is a realistic scenario, which is to use the comparative advantages that are likely to occur, regardless of the possible response to risks and challenges. Keywords: the community development strategy; the pharmaceutical care; residents of small and remote settlements.