Prof R.Dowse
BPharm, PhD (Rhodes), MPS(SA)
Associate Professor
Head of Division, Pharmaceutics
Teaching
2nd year:
Course co-ordinator of Pharmaceutics 2
Topics lectured include pharmaceutical calculations, surface and interfacial phenomena, disperse systems, rheology and micromeritics
4th year:
Topics lectured include clinical pharmacokinetics, as well as therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of selected drugs
Research Interests
Communication in healthcare : Health promotion and the communication of medicines information to low-literate patients
Within this area of study, the following are being investigated:
- development and evaluation of pharmaceutical pictograms
- influence of culture and education on the interpretation of pictograms
- readability evaluation of patient information leaflet (PILs)
- development and evaluation of illustrated PILs, posters and medicine labels for a low-literate population nd their influence on medication self-efficacy and adherence
- health literacy in low-literate English second-language speakers
The pharmacist and medication adherence; patient self-efficacy and chronic disease management
(HIV/AIDS, diabetes, asthma)
Recent Publications
Papers:
Dowse R, Ramela T, Barford K-L and Browne SH. Developing visuals for communicating antiretroviral side effect information to a low-literate target population. African Journal of AIDS Research 2010;9(3):213-224.
Dowse R, Lecoko L, Ehlers MS. Applicability of the REALM health literacy test to an English second-language South African population. Pharmacy World and Science 2010;32(4):464-471.
Dowse R, Ramela T and Browne SH. Developing targeted illustrated written antiretroviral information for low-literate readers: a user-centred approach. Patient Education and Counseling 2011, in press.
Chapter in book:
Dowse R. Using pictograms in a patient information leaflet to communicate antiretroviral medicines information to HIV/AIDS patients in rural South Africa. In: Health communication in Southern Africa: Engaging with social and cultural diversity Lagerwerf L, Boer H, Wasserman H, eds. Amsterdam/Pretoria: Rozenberg/UNISA Press. 2009. pp.155-175.
Professional Affiliations
Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa
South African Association of Hospital and Institutional Pharmacists
South African Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences
International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP)
Hobbies and Interests
The mind-body connection, illness narratives and coping with chronic illness.
Read widely.
Walking regularly in the hills with my dog.
Observe our beautiful cloud formations.
