IMPROVING GREEN PHARMACY COMPETENCES OF PEOPLE WITH ID (INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES)

The activity we present here is a Service-Learning project carried out by PhD students of Green Pharmacy (Universidad San Jorge, Spain) in order to promote the social inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities (ID), improving their communication skills with pharmaceutical professionals and to improve their Green Pharmacy competences.

The activity is aimed at the users of the CEDES Foundation. CEDES is a social non-profit organization committed to the integral care of children, youth and adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities.

PhD students of Green Pharmacy become aware of the effects that the drugs produce in the environment, learn how to control the pollution and to propose environmentally sustainable alternatives for the pharmaceutical industry. As part of their learning process, the students carry out this activity within the framework of the PhD program.

The students are asked to create an infographic explaining how the drugs arrive to the environment, their harmful effect and the importance of making rational use of medicines in order to prevent environmental pollution. This information has to be explained graphically and using adapted language. The infographics are printed and placed on CEDES main building, then are explained by the students and finally, infographics are in view of all users for a month.

Furthermore, CEDES users visit the experimental laboratory in which the PhDs usually work and students teach how to assess the environmental impact of the drugs. Some experimental equipment is used such as microscopes.

To evaluate the impact of the intervention on people with ID, CEDES users will answer a questionnaire before the intervention and after the activity.

The expected results are the following: people with ID acquire a greater understanding of concepts related to drugs and the environment, being aware of the importance of properly disposing of this type of substances. On the other hand, likewise, the PhD students improve their ability to communicate with this collective and are aware of this type of disability.