Ukrainian Patients’ Perspectives on Advanced Pharmaceutical Services Provided by Polish Pharmacists: A Cross-Border Support Initiative

• DOI: 10.2147/ppa.s477925
• Publication Date: 2025-01-22T05:40:12Z
• Authors: Piotr Merks; Urszula Religioni; Mariola Borowska; Rafał Hechman; Mikołaj Konstanty; Justyna Kaźmierczak; Beata Chełstowska; Regis Vaillancourt; Agnieszka Drab; Krystian Wdowiak

INTRODUCTION: Pharmacists are essential healthcare professionals which play a pivotal role in public health protection by offering diverse pharmacy services. This includes not only serving individuals in Ukraine but also addressing the needs of Ukrainian citizens residing in Poland. An exemplary initiative is the creation of the website farmaceucidlaukrainy.pl, which provides organized and systematic support. AIM: This study aims to evaluate the perceptions of Ukrainian immigrant patients from Ukraine regarding the advanced pharmaceutical consultation service provided by Polish pharmacists. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study included 250 respondents from Ukraine. The study was conducted in 2022 using an anonymous survey. The survey was distributed after pharmaceutical consultations in one of the cities near the Polish-Ukrainian border. As part of the project, Ukrainian patients who had run out of medicines due to war brought their medications to pharmacy counselling points organized by Polish pharmacists, and the pharmacists helped them find equivalents ias well as help treated minor ailments in Poland. RESULTS: Practically all respondents strongly agree with all the statements posed in the survey, the percentage of such responses was close to 95%, with the lowest percentage observed for the statement “If possible, I would like this kind of service to be offered in any Polish pharmacy”, which was 90.40%. CONCLUSION: Ukrainian patients highly appreciated the pharmaceutical consultation services provided by Polish pharmacists. The information given by pharmacists was clear and practical, and the services were deemed highly supportive. Expanding such initiatives to other assistance points could enhance the support network for displaced individuals.