Invited speakers

Workshop qualitative methods

Introduction

Qualitative methods are used to explore and understand meanings, experiences, views, real life practices et cetera. While originating from the social sciences these methods are now commonly used also within other areas, for example social pharmacy. As social pharmacy research, among other things, deals with perspectives of medicine users, health care professionals, policy makers, and medicine practices, qualitative methods are important tools for researchers within the field. Hence, whether you yourself will conduct qualitative research or not, there is a need for understanding what qualitative methods can do, and how to understand results from this kind of studies.

This workshop will cover the basics of qualitative research. This includes: the underlying epistemology of qualitative methodology, methods used, and why and when to use them. In addition, some specific aspects, such as strategies of sampling and analysis will be introduced as well as how to interpret and use findings from qualitative research.

Objective

The aim of the workshop is to present and discuss the basics of qualitative research.

Learning outcomes

After attending the workshop, participants will have a basic understanding of

• - The place of qualitative research within social pharmacy
• - Why and when to use qualitative methods
• - Some aspects of qualitative research, especially sampling and analysis strategies
• - How to assess and use outcomes of qualitative research.

Workshop quantitative epidemiological methods

Introduction

Quantitative epidemiological methods can be descriptive or analytical, and both types are increasingly used in the Nordic countries due to the availability of national health registry data and large population-based cohorts.

This workshop will first cover the fundamental epidemiological methods for quantitative analyses, including a description of data availability in the Nordic countries and practical study examples. Next, the workshop will cover more advanced methods for quantitative analyses, including approaches to minimize confounding and biases, and how to evaluate whether associations can be causal. During the workshop, you will also learn how to critically appraise observational study results.

Objective

The aim of the workshop is to present and discuss the fundamentals and more advanced principles of quantitative research.

Learning outcomes

After attending the workshop, participants will have a basic understanding of

• The place of quantitative research within social pharmacy
• Opportunities for research using national health registry data in the Nordic countries
• Fundamental and more advanced methods for quantitative epidemiological research
• How to minimize multiple sources of biases and confounding in quantitative research
• How to critically appraise results of quantitative research based on observational data

Plenary session: Human factors and other methods to improve medication safety in pharmacies.

Michelle A. Chui, PharmD, PhD, FAPhA is the Hammel-Sanders Distinguished Professor and the Chair of the Social & Administrative Sciences Division in the UW-Madison School of Pharmacy. She is the Director of the Sonderegger Research Center for Improved Medication Outcomes which is a forum that unites scholars, students, practitioners, funders, and policy makers in the creation of innovative approaches that address medication use issues. She is the Co-Director of the UW Institute for Clinical and Translational Research TL1 pre-doctoral and post-doctoral program, has mentored over 40 successful trainees, including graduate students, TL1 and KL2 trainees, residents, and pharmacy students.

Her research focuses on applying human factors engineering approaches to improving medication safety in the outpatient setting. She has published over 100 peer reviewed manuscripts and book chapters. Most recently, she has been funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to test a systems redesign intervention to improve over-the-counter medication safety (R18HS024490, R18HS027737) and to evaluate CancelRx, a health IT functionality to reduce medication discrepancies (R21HS025793). Her lab received the Best Paper Award in the Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy journal (2022) and Exploratory Research in Clinical and Social Pharmacy journal (2023).

Plenary session: The new Norwegian pharmacy legislation - implications for pharmaceutical care services

Urd Andestad is president of the Norwegian Association of Pharmacists. She graduated as a master of Pharmacy from the University in Tromsø in 2005. At the time she started working at the Norwegian Medicines Agency, with reimbursement of pharmaceuticals. Moving on to the Diretorate of Health and the administration of the general reimbursement for medical equipment and diatery products from 2010 until 2015. In 2016 she began as the Market access manager for Norway, Denmark and Iceland in Abbott, until taking the Presidency in the Norwegian Association of Pharmacists in 2021. The Association is the largest association for pharmacists in Norway with around 5 000 pharmacists, working to secure the members’ financial, social, and professional interests. In 2021 she was appointed as a member of the official group to assess the legislation for pharmacies.