A migraine is a type of chronic headache characterized by severe pain, nausea, vomiting, and other symptoms, and anxiety experienced during interictal periods also affects patients’ quality of life. However, consultation rates with doctors or specialists remain low. This study aimed to identify factors influencing medical consultation and examine the role of pharmacists. A questionnaire survey was conducted among 600 people in their 20s to 40s who regularly experience headaches. All respondents were divided into two groups: the Doctor-visited
group (those who had visited a medical institution at least once) and the Non-doctor-visited group (those who had never visited a medical institution). The Doctor-visited group contained significantly more migraine sufferers (p < 0.001) and was significantly more likely to have consulted a pharmacist (p < 0.001). Among those in the Doctor-visited group who consulted a pharmacist, only 34% cited pharmacist’s advice as the reason for visiting a doctor. The main reasons for not consulting a doctor included self-assessing their headache as “mild,” “usual,”
or “temporary.” Respondents’ Headache Impact Test and Migraine Interictal Burden Scale showed a high correlation. However, some respondents did not seek professional support even when their headaches were highly disruptive, indicating that severity does not solely determine their decision to visit a medical institution. These results suggest that pharmacists should actively support patients’ decision-making by assessing their headache disruptiveness and promoting appropriate medical utilization.

Patients undergoing hemodialysis are prone to gastrointestinal complications such as constipation, indigestion, abdominal pain, and reflux, with constipation being a particular problem. Various reasons, including fluid intake and dietary restrictions, decreased bowel motility due to changes in body water content, decreased physical activity during dialysis, and the use of serum potassium suppressants and phosphorus-adsorbing drugs, can explain this. However, there are no guidelines for treating constipation in patients undergoing hemodialysis, and physicians still use their own judgment when selecting medications. In this study, we investigated the use of laxatives in patients undergoing hemodialysis and evaluated their safety. The results showed that 40.0% of the patients regularly used laxatives. The laxative Macrogol (Movicol®) accounted for more than 80% of the patients. No changes in body weight or serum potassium levels were observed after 3 months of Movicol® initiation, suggesting that the drug is safe for patients undergoing hemodialysis.

This distinctive single-center survey study aimed to assess the actual awareness of oral care and the understanding of oral health and periodontal disease among patients visiting not a dental clinic, but a community pharmacy. Out of the 225 patients who were given the questionnaire, 150 provided valid responses. Participants were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of interest in oral care. The proportion of participants in the interested group who had relatives working in healthcare, visited the dentist frequently, and used oral care products was significantly higher than that of participants in the uninterested group. However, in each group, only a small proportion of participants understood parts of the oral cavity regarding the development of periodontal disease. More patients with diabetes were in the uninterested group. Participants in the uninterested group also tend to show a passive attitude for oral health. Furthermore, a large number of participants were unaware that pregnancy and genetics could be risk factors for periodontal disease. The results indicated that the one of the most important factors in improving oral care awareness is providing accurate information regarding oral hygiene and prevention of periodontal disease. Pharmacies and pharmacists serve as the most accessible healthcare institutions and professionals within the community. Therefore, to prevent periodontal disease and to improve oral health awareness, pharmacists need to provide information regarding oral health and pharmacies should serve as the first point of access for community residents.

Virgin coffee inner husk (VCIH) and VCIH calcined at 1000°C (CIH1000) were prepared in this study. These adsorbents were characterized by scanning electron microscopy imaging, thermal analysis, specific surface area measurements, surface functional groups, and point-of-zero charge (pH_pzc). The adsorption capacity of methylene blue (MB) was greater for CIH1000 than for VCIH. In addition, the MB adsorption capacity was evaluated by demonstrating the effect of initial concentration, temperature, contact time, and pH on the adsorption. The results were fitted to both the Langmuir model (correlation coefficient: 0.915–0.997) and the pseudo-second-order model (correlation coefficient: 0.989–0.997). To elucidate the MB adsorption mechanism, elemental distributions and binding energies were characterized and the components of MB (carbon, sulfur, and nitrogen) were detected after adsorption. These findings provide useful information for the removal of MB from aqueous media.