Page 110 - GHES-1-2

Global Health Econ Sustain Assessing chronic community health needs

Table 1. Pharmacy improvement products and usage
Pharmacy product category Total number of Total number of items used in Percentage of usage
items provided the 3‑month period of study
Analgesics 45 27 60
Personal care items 46 40 87
Orthopedics 15 7 47
Wound care 74 20 27
Over-the-counter medications 60 36 60
Children’s medications and supplies 46 30 65

care conditions are influenced by a combination of factors comes from an external charity organization (Junior Rowe,
collectively known as the social determinants of health personal communication [March 12, 2022]). However, the
(SDOH) (Craig et al., 2021; Palmer et al., 2019). The needs of the Riverton population surpass the quarterly
five domains of SDOH (health-care access and quality, visits by medical professionals each year. This community
educational access and quality, social and community is burdened with a high prevalence of medical conditions
context, economic stability, and neighborhood and such as hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease
built stability) are all addressed as an aspect of the (Ferguson et al., 2017), chronic obstructive pulmonary
community pharmacy improvement project (Miller, disease, asthma, and other chronic diseases that require
2021). The challenge of health-care access continues to closer patient monitoring. As an underserved community,
persist for the residents of Riverton. By establishing a many citizens have become accustomed to addressing their
de facto community pharmacy within the community medical needs without access to medical or pharmacy
primary school, the quality of education provided by the interventions. This could also explain the delayed use of
school is improved. Placing the pharmacy in the center donated wound care supplies. They typically have to make
of this isolated and impoverished community aligns do with what is available when supplies are scarce.
with the community context. Providing free basic health The authors believe that fostering inter-institutional
supplies assists the residents of this community, which is relationships between local and international academic
situated on top of a large city dump, and thus promotes institutions, or a combination of both, holds extreme
neighborhood stability. The fundamental right to basic importance in the development of a sustainable model.
healthcare is a struggle for most citizens in the Riverton Exploring resources both locally and internationally can
community. They rely on sporadic external donations provide a foundation for acquiring essential resources,
to support and stock their small community pharmacy. with the goal of establishing sustainability using in-country
Small communities like these need a sustainable flow of means. In addition, adopting a holistic approach that
pharmacy products and health-care providers to ensure includes all aspects of the person and/or community is
community health. Building and fostering a sense of equally important in constructing a sustainable structure.
community are an essential element in establishing This is accomplished by the inclusion of other health and
societal sustainability (McKnight & Block, 2010). human services departments. The inclusion of physical
Creating a sustainable model for Riverton will require therapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology, and social
collaboration between local agencies and/or organizations, work within this community has been essential for our
potentially including colleges from the United States. dedicated work in Riverton. As indicated, medical services
The initial step in promoting health for the citizens are the conduit that paves the way for more comprehensive
of Riverton, Jamaica, involves the reconstruction and services, which this community identified as necessary
staffing of the school pharmacy with a part-time nurse. during the windshield survey.
Establishing a consistent health-care provider within Facilitating the involvement of additional health-care
the community is crucial. This nurse could also serve as providers to collaborate with the community members
a liaison between volunteer medical providers, colleges, within the pharmacy setting will help promote health
and universities, as well as the occasional local doctors and address the many chronic health conditions faced by
and nurses who attend to patients in the community. At the Riverton citizens. Furthermore, this initiative would
present, the Riverton community receives paid visits provide valuable learning opportunities for students
from doctors, nurses, and assistants 4 times/year. Each who engage in short-term visits. Specifically, while acute
visit sees approximately 40 – 60 patients, and the funding medical needs were indeed observed during the authors’

Volume 1 Issue 2 (2023) 4 https://doi.org/10.36922/ghes.1030