Study reveals the impact of self-care and reinforces the role of pharmacies in patient support

Most Portuguese people (92%) experienced at least one minor health problem over the past year, and in more than half of these situations (55%), self-care was the first response adopted. These findings come from the study “The Role of Self-Care in Portugal”, promoted by APIFARMA, which involved the general population, general and family medicine doctors, and community pharmacists.

When adopted, self-care proved effective: 79% of situations were completely resolved without the need to consult a doctor, which occurred in only 1% of cases. Pharmacies stand out as the main source of support for self-care, with 33% of citizens who chose this approach turning directly to pharmacists for advice.

During the presentation of the study, held on May 6th at the Belém Cultural Center, the Secretary of State for Health, Ana Povo, emphasized that «self-care has always existed, with community pharmacies playing a very important role», positioning these spaces as a «gateway to many healthcare services».

The president of ANF, Ema Paulino, stated that «many people seek out pharmacies as their first point of contact when faced with mild symptoms», highlighting the extensive pharmacy network and the qualifications of pharmacy teams, which interact daily with around 5% of the population, as an «opportunity» to intervene in minor clinical situations, with significant benefits, similar to what international experience has demonstrated.

In addition to relieving pressure on primary and hospital healthcare services by reducing unnecessary visits, self-care also has a significant economic impact, according to the study. It reduces the average cost per episode from €93 to €18, corresponding to savings of around 80%. Across the population as a whole, this represents estimated annual savings of €9.6 billion, shared between the National Health Service (47%) and citizens (53%). Beyond financial gains, self-care also contributes to greater productivity, with substantially lower absenteeism rates and less disruption to professional activity.

Given this scenario, the president of ANF outlined the way forward, advocating for the establishment of clinical intervention and referral protocols within pharmacies when necessary, and reinforcing the need to record information related to pharmaceutical interventions in the National Eletronic Health Record (RSEu) to facilitate information sharing among healthcare professionals.

The president of APIFARMA, João Almeida Lopes, also stressed that «self-care is now a successful reality in Portugal, resulting from a strong relationship between non-prescription medicines and the pharmacy network, a strategic asset of the healthcare system that values proximity, trust, and knowledge», while defending the need to streamline regulatory processes and expand the lists of non-prescription medicines in the country.