Abstract
Background: Visual impairment constitutes a significant public health concern, affecting a large number of individuals on a global scale. The impact of visual impairment on the daily lives of individuals is considerable, in particular with regard to the administration of medications and interactions with community pharmacists. Community pharmacists occupy a pivotal role as a point of contact for visually impaired patients. The pharmacy is a place of reception and support, and therefore must provide the best possible services to all its patients. Consequently, it is imperative to gain an understanding of the specific needs of visually impaired individuals, who are particularly vulnerable, to facilitate their inclusion in healthcare.
Approach: The objective of this study was twofold: firstly, to examine the perceptions, challenges, and needs of visually impaired individuals in managing their medications; secondly, to enhance pharmacist-patient communication and ensure more accessible and inclusive healthcare for these individuals.
A qualitative study was conducted with French-speaking visually impaired individuals living in Belgium. The participants were recruited voluntarily, and an interview guide comprising six main topics was developed based on a comprehensive literature review. Semi-structured interviews were carried out until theoretical data saturation was reached, recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed in a double-blind fashion using abductive thematic and interpretative phenomenological analyses. The data were organised by NVivo® 14 software, and a Cronbach's α coefficient was calculated using IBM® SPSS 29 Advanced software to verify the reliability of the analyses.
Results: Two dimensions, psychological and pharmaceutical, were explored in the semi-structured interviews. In total, 19 interviews were conducted, and seven themes were identified. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.938, indicating that the analyses were highly reliable. From a psychological perspective, the experience of individuals with visual impairment appears to be linked to their family and social context. The emotional states of visually impaired individuals and the actions of their family members and friends, who occasionally assume the role of informal caregivers, can be either beneficial or detrimental. The relationship they have with their pharmacist is also important, especially in regard to the relational aspect and the knowledge of visual impairment. During the interviews, visually impaired individuals indicated that pharmacists do not frequently offer additional guidance beyond dosage and storage instructions. They also reported that they devised themselves strategies to facilitate the administration of their medications (color-coding system, touch to identify medications, memory, or assistive products).
Implications: Visual impairment is a complex phenomenon that is influenced by a variety of factors. Consequently, adaptation systems are necessary at all levels of the society (micro, meso, and macro) to provide visually impaired individuals with the best living conditions and people-centred care. The results of this qualitative study offer valuable insights that can inform the development of recommendations for community pharmacists.