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PubMed2004

[Estimation of actual report rates using data from the survey of physicians, dentists and pharmacists].

PURPOSES: Physicians, dentists and pharmacists are required to report to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare every two years by law in Japan and the Survey of Physicians, Dentists and Pharmacists (SPDP) is carried out based on the information provided. Because report omissions are known to occur with the SPDP, we estimated the actual report rates. METHODS: The report rate is usually estimated by diving the number of persons reporting by the number of total registrants in each registration year, but the survival rate is not considered in this method. We therefore estimated the report rates of registrants after 1955, using data from the SPDP between the years 1982 and 2000, without considering the survival rate, and then estimated the report rates of registrants after 1955, using data from the 2000 SPDP, this time considering the survival rate. We also compared the report rates among physicians, dentists and pharmacists. RESULTS: In the year 2000 SPDP, the report rates (physicians, dentists and pharmacists) without considering the survival rate were 87.08%, 84.98% and 71.58%, respectively. The respective values considering the survival rate were 90.30%, 87.15% and 72.98%, respectively. The improvement in the report rate for pharmacists was less than those for physicians or dentists. With physicians and dentists, when the survival rates were taken into consideration, rates were more than 90% between 1965 and 2000, except for a temporary decline around 1990. With pharmacists, however, lower rates were observed in the earlier years of registration. The reasons for the differences in report rates for physicians, dentists and pharmacists were thought to be as follows: 1) There are more women pharmacists than physicians or dentists. 2) The survival rate of pharmacists is higher than for physicians or dentists. 3) The mean registration age of pharmacists is younger than that of physicians or dentists. CONCLUSIONS: Differences exist with report rates of physicians, dentists and pharmacists, and these appear due to variation in the gender ratio and age distribution.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1990

Role of a pharmacist in a seizure clinic.

The involvement of a clinical pharmacist in a Department of Veterans Affairs seizure clinic is described. A pharmacist who had served a residency in ambulatory care began working in a seizure clinic in 1988 after obtaining the cooperation of a neurologist interested in a multidisciplinary approach to patient care. A clinical protocol was developed to guide the pharmacist's participation. The seizure clinic is staffed by the clinical pharmacist, a pharmacy resident, and a neurologist and is currently treating 162 adult male veterans. Of the 162 patients, 159 are receiving anti-convulsant therapy. The role of the pharmacist is to assist the neurologist in providing patient-care services. The pharmacist interviews each patient, performs a neurological assessment and mental status evaluation, and orders laboratory tests. Information is recorded by the pharmacist on a history form and a subjective and objective assessment and planning form. The pharmacist presents the findings to the neurologist, and the patient is then interviewed jointly by the pharmacist and the neurologist. Between appointments, the pharmacist follows up on abnormal laboratory test values and informs patients of any necessary dosage adjustments. More time is available for patient care, there has been an increase in the detection of adverse drug reactions and disease states, and record keeping has improved. A pharmacist assumed a primary-care role in a seizure clinic by interviewing and assessing patients, ordering laboratory tests, and participating in the selection and adjustment of anticonvulsant therapy.

Ambulatory Care Facilities↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Drug information sources used by community pharmacists in Louisiana: a preliminary study.

OBJECTIVE: There is a paucity of information in the literature regarding the type of reference sources that are used by community pharmacists to answer drug information questions. This survey was conducted to determine the frequency of use of selected drug information references by independent and chain pharmacists in Louisiana. DESIGN: A study population of 15% of registered pharmacists was obtained by random stratification of all pharmacists on the mailing list of the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy on the basis of zip code and gender. These pharmacists were mailed an uncoded, pretested questionnaire and were asked to complete and return it if they were employed by an independent or chain pharmacy; nonchain and independent pharmacists were asked to return their questionnaires uncompleted. No follow-up was performed. PARTICIPANTS: Ninety-one independent pharmacists (mean age=45 y; mean years of experience=21) and 71 chain pharmacists (mean age=40 y; mean years of experience=16). OUTCOME MEASURES: The frequency of use of selected drug information reference sources by independent and chain pharmacists and the type of drug information questions received by pharmacists were determined. A Statistical Analysis System software program was used to analyze the data. Spearman's rank test was used to determine statistical differences between independent and chain pharmacists. The a priori level of significance was p less than or equal to 0.05. RESULTS: A 54% response rate was obtained.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Age Factors↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Evaluation of community pharmacy service mix: evidence from the 2004 National Pharmacist Workforce Study.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the mix of pharmacy services being offered in different types of community pharmacy practices and to identify factors associated with a community pharmacy offering pharmacy services. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Community pharmacies (independent, chain, mass merchandiser, and supermarket pharmacies). PARTICIPANTS: Pharmacists practicing full-time or part-time who worked in community pharmacies and responded to the 2004 National Pharmacist Workforce Survey. INTERVENTION: Mailed survey from the 2004 National Pharmacist Workforce Survey, which included core content questions for all sampled pharmacists and supplemental surveys that included workplace questions for a selected subsample of pharmacists. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Type and frequency of pharmacy services being offered in a community pharmacy, including dispensing and product-related services (e.g., specialty compounding), and pharmacist care services (e.g., immunizations, smoking cessation, health screening, medication therapy management, wellness screening, nutritional support, and disease management services). RESULTS: Four pharmacist care services were reported as being offered at more than 10% of community pharmacy practices: immunizations, smoking cessation, health screening, and diabetes management. The number of pharmacist care services offered at a community pharmacy was positively associated with having at least three pharmacists on duty, innovativeness of the pharmacy, status as an independent pharmacy, and status as a supermarket pharmacy. More than one half of the community pharmacy practices did not offer any of the eight pharmacist care services included in a pharmacy service index. CONCLUSION: Pharmacy services were reported at relatively few community pharmacies, and were associated with pharmacy innovativeness, pharmacist staffing levels, and pharmacy setting. Some community pharmacies are offering pharmacy services as part of their business strategy, while others are dedicated to dispensing services. Continued study of pharmacy service availability in community pharmacies is needed to improve our understanding of our capacity to deliver such services, including medication therapy management services.

Community Pharmacy Services↗
PubMed1986

Effect of pharmacists' clinical interventions on nonformulary drug use.

The effect on drug costs of pharmacists' interventions in reducing the use of nonformulary medications was studied in a private teaching hospital. During a four-month period, nonformulary medication request forms and pharmacist consultation logs were reviewed to determine physicians' actions taken on requests for nonformulary medications. Cost avoidance of interventions (nonformulary medication cost) and the cost of pharmacist cost) and the cost of pharmacist time for the interventions were determined. The pharmacist was able to contact The pharmacist was able to contact the physician in 388 of 394 instances in which the use of a nonformulary medication was considered. Of 230 recommendations by pharmacists to change a nonformulary drug order to one for a formulary alternative, 64.8% (149) were accepted by physicians. Of pharmacists' recommendations that were accepted, 75.8% (113/149) were from decentralized areas, which was a significantly higher acceptance rate than that for the centralized areas (24.7% or 36/149). Cost avoidance resulting from acceptance of pharmacists' recommendations during the four-month study was $2,645, or $13,573 per year; this was more than the cost of pharmacist time required to perform interventions. Pharmacist interventions to decrease use of nonformulary drugs can be cost-effective and appear to be more successful in decentralized pharmacy service areas than in areas served by a central pharmacy.

Costs and Cost Analysis↗
PubMed1982

Self-study program on drug information for staff pharmacists.

A self-study inservice educational program on drug information resources was designed to improve staff pharmacist competence in responding to drug information requests. Pharmacists attended two introductory sessions in the drug information center (DIC) that focused on available resources and the systematic search process. Each pharmacist also spent an eight-hour work period in the DIC. Twenty-four hours of regular staff time was allowed for each pharmacist to complete a self-study manual. The manual consisted of three section: (1) discussion of selected references; (2) assignments based on common types of drug information questions; and (3) assignments that required the use of indexing and abstracting sources. Each pharmacist had to complete 50 questions during a 12-week period. The pharmacists were evaluated through pre- and post-tests and by the accuracy of answers to assignments in the manual. Six pharmacists initially participated in the program; five of them attained an average grade of more than 70 on the post-test and assignments. Three new staff pharmacists now have also completed the program. The success of the program depended on the support of pharmacy administration, as well as the motivation of the participating pharmacists. This staff development program using a self-study manual has been an effective means for improving pharmacists' use of drug information resources. The manual is flexible to accommodate differences in the rate of staff development and it is a useful training tool for new pharmacists.

Curriculum↗
PubMed2005

Do pharmacists' opinions affect their decision to dispense or recommend a visit to a doctor?

PURPOSE: To assess the relation between the pharmacists' opinions and the decision to dispense drugs without medical prescription and to recommend a visit to a doctor. METHODS: We carried out a cohort study on a sample of 166 pharmacists in North-West Spain. Pharmacists' opinions on prescription practice of the doctors, on pharmacists' qualification to dispense drugs without medical prescription, on their responsibility about dispensed drugs, on clients' qualification for self-medication, and pharmacists' perception of their work were collected through a personal interview. Dispensing and the recommendation to the patient to visit their doctor were measure in the follow-up. We constructed logistic regression models. RESULTS: The response rate to the first questionnaire was 98.8% and the participation rate in the follow-up was 60%. Pharmacists who considered that doctors prescribed excessively were less likely to dispense without medical prescription (OR = 0.48) and to send the client to the doctor more often (OR = 2.33). On the other hand, those who considered themselves to be capable to dispense without prescription do so frequently (OR = 1.24). A major appreciation of the pharmacist as a health educator was associated with a higher dispensing (OR = 3.81). Pharmacists who considered that customers' qualification for self-medication was good recommended, more frequently visiting a doctor (OR = 1.58). CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that the pharmacists' opinions are associated with their practice of counseling. Therefore, any program designed with the purpose of changing dispensing habits of the pharmacists should identify and take into account their opinions.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Factors associated with the pharmacist counselling without dispensing.

PURPOSE: To describe the pharmacist counselling without dispensing and to analysed the characteristics of pharmacies and pharmacists that provide this type of counselling, and the characteristics of customers that receive it to a greater extent. METHODS: We carried out a cohort study on a sample of 166 pharmacists in North West Spain. Different characteristics of pharmacists and clients and other variables related to counselling were measured (who initiates the consultation; type of consultation; whether or not the patient consulted with a doctor previously and who is the receptor of the counselling) were included in the models as independent variables. Pharmacist Counselling without dispensing (PhCwD) were included as dependent variable. We constructed logistic regression models. RESULTS: The response rate to the first questionnaire was 98.8% and the participation rate in the follow-up was 60%. Out of 7010 registered pharmacist counselling, 6034 were included in the final analysis (86.1%). The proportion of PhCwD is 26.3% (95%IC: 25.2-27.4). CONCLUSIONS: Our results show the number of working hours of the pharmacist and the amount of customers are associated with PhCwD. So working hours and amount customers should be reduced. Other factor that should be taken into account is the fact that pharmacists with less experience should give less counsels. Thus during the university period pharmacist counselling should be studied. Finally, our results show that an important proportion of counselling is given regardless the dispensation process, and this should be taken into account when defining the pharmacists remuneration system.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Telephone survey of Alaskan pharmacists' nonprescription needle-selling practices.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the availability of nonprescription needles and syringes (NS) through pharmacy sales and to assess the impact of pharmacy policies and municipal paraphernalia laws on pharmacists' selling practices. DESIGN: Telephone survey of all pharmacies in Alaska's four largest cities. SETTING: Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, and Ketchikan, Alaska. SUBJECTS: A single pharmacist from each pharmacy represented in the cities' phone books. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Reports of (1) pharmacies' policies and individual pharmacists' procedures regarding the nonprescription sale of NS, (2) pharmacists' selling practices, and (3) identification of conditions that may affect pharmacists' decisions to sell nonprescription NS. RESULTS: Response rate of 86% (37/43); 77% of pharmacists reported selling at least one nonprescription NS in the last month. Store policy was related to selling practices; however, there was no difference in selling practices between a city with a paraphernalia law and cities without such laws. Logistic regression revealed pharmacists were more likely to sell NS if they worked in chain pharmacies and estimated that a high number of other local pharmacists sell nonprescription NS. CONCLUSION: NS are available through nonprescription sales in Alaskan pharmacies. The majority of pharmacies have store policies that permit pharmacists to sell nonprescription NS, either in all cases or at their discretion. Municipal paraphernalia laws do not determine the selling practices of individual pharmacists.

Alaska↗
PubMed2005

Attitudes of Nigerian pharmacists towards pharmaceutical care.

OBJECTIVE: To explore Nigerian pharmacists' attitudes towards pharmaceutical care, and determine significant attitudinal differences in different practice settings. METHOD: A 25-item self-completion pre-tested and validated questionnaire was administered to a convenience sample of 1500 pharmacists in Nigeria. Data were gathered on a Likert-type rating scale. Descriptive statistics including frequencies and mean scores, and significant attitudinal differences on sample characteristics were computed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Pharmacists' opinions on multi-item pharmaceutical care attitudinal scale. RESULT: The national survey achieved 67% response rate. About three-quarters (76%, n = 1005) of the respondents indicated willingness to embrace pharmaceutical care. Nearly all the pharmacists (96%) believed pharmaceutical care would enhance patients' appreciation of the pharmacist and 84% reported their intention to practice pharmaceutical care even if there is no additional income. An overwhelming 93% said that they would participate in any training program to enable them to practice pharmaceutical care, while less than a quarter (20%) claimed their pharmacy layout was suited for patient-centered practice. Three quarters (75%) of the respondents indicated positive attitude towards pharmaceutical care. Both male and female genders, all age groups, different levels of professional experience, and pharmacists in hospital, community, industrial and administrative practice settings had similar positive attitude scores. Only pharmacists' professional experience appeared to have a significant influence on attitude scores (F = 5.267; P = 0.001), with scores varying with the level of professional experience. CONCLUSION: The study has shown that the attitudes of Nigerian pharmacists towards pharmaceutical care are favorably high irrespective of the practice settings. The attitude ratings vary with the levels of professional experience, with pharmacists having less experience showing more positive attitude. Nigerian pharmacists indicated willingness to implement pharmaceutical care but expressed major concerns about their knowledge, professional skills, and pharmacy layout. Gradual introduction of pharmaceutical care would be logical.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Effects of a national medication education program in Taiwan to change the public's perceptions of the roles and functions of pharmacists.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of a national medication education program on public's perceptions of the roles and functions of pharmacists in Taiwan. METHODS: This was a single group, pre- and post-comparison study. The subjects were 955 community residents enrolled in the Community Education Program on Medication Use (CEPMU) between September 2003 and January 2004 in Taiwan. The program was a pharmacist-facilitated national education program implemented at 31 community universities nationwide. The education program consisted of 14 lectures that were delivered over a 4-month period. A questionnaire was administered before and after the program to survey the subjects on their usual drug-information sources, their evaluation of the credibility of the drug-information sources, and their perceptions of the roles and functions of pharmacists in Taiwan. Paired t-test was used to analyze the difference between pre- and post-tests with a significant level set at 0.05 a priori. RESULTS: At the end of the program, the subjects were more likely to request drug information from healthcare professionals as compared to the baseline (p < 0.05). They also had more confidence in the information provided by the community pharmacists (p < 0.05) and had a better understanding of the roles and functions of pharmacists (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The national medication education program facilitated by pharmacists helps to direct the subjects to pharmacists or other healthcare givers for drug information. It also improves their perceptions of the roles and functions of pharmacists in Taiwan. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Pharmacists' proactive participation in health education helped society to appreciate the roles and functions of pharmacists as knowledge workers in terms of drug information providers and safeguards of drug use.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Factors affecting collaborative care between pharmacists and physicians.

BACKGROUND: To have a positive impact on patient outcomes achieved with drug therapy, it is likely that pharmacists will work more closely with physicians to manage medications collaboratively. Yet, little is known about the factors that will support such collaborative care between pharmacists and physicians. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to identify significant influences on collaborative care between pharmacists and physicians, from the perspective of pharmacists. METHODS: Data were collected through a survey mailed to a national sample of 321 pharmacists identified by state pharmacy associations as being innovative practitioners. Three types of influences were assessed: individual characteristics, contextual factors, and exchange characteristics. Individual characteristics included demographics and a personality measure. Context variables included practice environment and professional interactions between pharmacists and physicians. Exchange characteristics were trustworthiness, role specification, and relationship initiation. Four items asked about the pharmacist's collaborative care with a physician. A hierarchical linear regression analysis was performed with collaborative care as the dependent variable and the individual, context, and exchange characteristics as the independent variables. RESULTS: One hundred sixty-six usable surveys (53.4%) were returned. About 64% of the respondents were male, with a mean age of 43.7 (SD+/-11.2) years. Linear regression analysis of the complete model produced an R(2)=0.805 (P<.001). Significant predictors in the model included the context variable, professional interaction, and the exchange characteristics, trustworthiness and role specification. CONCLUSION: Overall, the collaborative working relationship model largely explained collaborative care between pharmacists and physicians. Researchers are encouraged to use these findings when studying pharmacist-physician collaboration. In addition, pharmacists seeking to work with physicians should attend to developing trustworthiness and clarifying their clinical roles with physicians.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Provision of risk management and risk assessment information: the role of the pharmacist.

BACKGROUND: There exists a need to conceptualize and understand the roles that pharmacists serve to help convince others such as patients, prescribers, and payers to value their contributions and to plan for the roles they could serve in the future within the health care system. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to (1) describe and track differences in pharmacists' and patients' views about the pharmacist's and physician's role in medication risk management and risk assessment in 1995, 1998, 2001, and 2004, and (2) describe associations between selected demographic variables and reported opinions about the pharmacist's role using data from 2004. METHODS: Brushwood's Risk Management/Risk Assessment Framework was used as a conceptual guide for developing 2 risk management and 2 risk assessment scenarios. For each scenario, study participants were asked to select the level of responsibility shared by physicians and pharmacists in addressing the drug therapy problem. Data were collected in 1995, 1998, 2001, and 2004 using random samples of pharmacists and patients as study subjects. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis were used for analyzing the data. RESULTS: The results showed that pharmacists view their role as providing risk management information to patients and may view this role as adding value to patient care above and beyond a level that can be provided by a physician alone. In 2004, pharmacists started to view the risk assessment scenarios as being more their responsibility as well. Patients, on the other hand, consistently viewed their physician as having primary responsibility for their health care in all of the scenarios we studied. CONCLUSIONS: Pharmacists view their role as one that adds unique value to a patient's health through their provision of medication risk management and some types of risk assessment. However, patients do not yet view the pharmacist as the primary provider of either medication risk management or risk assessment information.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed2006

Prediction of pharmacist intention to provide Medicare medication therapy management services using the theory of planned behavior.

BACKGROUND: Medicare Part D is a voluntary prescription drug benefit for Medicare beneficiaries. As part of the coverage, medication therapy management services (MTMS) are mandated for beneficiaries with chronic diseases who take multiple medications covered under part D and who are likely to incur annual costs that exceed a specified level. OBJECTIVE: To predict the behavioral intention of pharmacists to provide Medicare medication therapy management services (MTMS) using the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and to determine the relationship between pharmacists' characteristics and intention to provide MTMS. METHODS: The population for this cross-sectional descriptive study consisted of all community pharmacists in Iowa. Data collection occurred through a self-administered anonymous mail survey. Two surveys each were mailed to 500 pharmacies selected through a stratified random sample, 1 survey for the pharmacy manager and 1 survey for a staff pharmacist if applicable. Descriptive statistics and scale reliability were calculated for each of the 4 TPB scales (attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, and intention). Linear regression was used to predict intent as a function of the other 3 TPB factors, demographic factors, experience, and type of pharmacy. RESULTS: Out of 212 surveys received, 203 had usable data. The usable response rate ranged from 21% to 41%. Pharmacists' intent to provide MTMS was generally positive but varied in strength with a mean score of 22.47 (+/-4.00) and a range of 7-30. Pharmacists mostly agreed that they had appropriate training to provide MTMS but lacked time and support. The linear regression analysis found the constructs of attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control to be significant predictors of intent (P<.05). Pharmacists with stronger intent to provide MTMS were those who felt they had more control over providing MTMS, felt their peers approved of the provision of MTMS, and had a positive attitude about providing MTMS. Type of pharmacy and pharmacist demographic variables were not significant predictors of intent to provide MTMS. CONCLUSION: Pharmacists showed generally positive intent to provide MTMS. Perceived behavioral control, subjective norm, and attitude were significant predictors of intent (P<.05). Strategies to help pharmacists provide MTMS should focus on finding time and support to provide MTMS rather than individual educational needs.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed2006

Conceptualizing and measuring pharmacist-patient communication: a review of published studies.

BACKGROUND: Pharmacist-patient communication in community pharmacies has been studied for over 25 years with little effort to evaluate this research comprehensively. OBJECTIVE: The main objective of this review is to examine and summarize how researchers have conceptualized, defined, and measured pharmacist-patient communication across studies and identify gaps in the literature. METHODS: Articles were compiled from a search of (1) Medline, IPA, CINAHL, and PubMed databases using the keywords, "counseling", "patient communication", "patient counseling", "patient education", "patient consult( *)", and/or "pharmacists", (2) bibliographies of selected articles. The search generated 56 studies on community pharmacy, of which 39 studies met the inclusion criteria. RESULTS: Most studies (72%) have used the term patient counseling, although pharmacist-patient communication and patient education were also used. The definition of patient counseling varies across studies. Almost half of the studies (49%) conceptualized pharmacist-patient communication solely as a pharmacist information provision activity. A total of 16 studies (41%) also focused on pharmacists' interpersonal behavior in addition to the information provision activity of the pharmacist. In contrast, patient communication behavior and the exchange process between both parties has been understudied. A total of 16 studies (41%) used a retrospective design. All studies used a cross-sectional design, with varying modes of data collection such as mail surveys, telephone interviews, nonparticipant observation, and shopper studies. Taped encounters are rare. SUMMARY/IMPLICATIONS: This review revealed that most studies have focused on a one way communication of pharmacists to patients. A need for examining the patient-pharmacist dyad is apparent. Future research could explore a greater use of taped encounters to analyze the interactive communication process, affective components of communication such as collaborative problem solving, interpersonal relationship development, and the expertise that patients bring into the encounter.

Communication↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Trends in full-time pharmacists' labor market characteristics.

OBJECTIVE: To provide a historical overview of the pharmacy profession for the past 30 years, using trends in full-time pharmacists' labor market characteristics. METHODS: A retrospective longitudinal sample of pharmacists from 1968 to 1996 was constructed from the March Current Population Survey data. A three-period centered moving average method was used to describe the labor market trends over time. Pharmacists' labor market was characterized by age, sex, race, education, geographic distribution, salary, working hours, and wage. RESULTS: The dominant age group among full-time pharmacists was 36-45 in the late 1960s and early 1970s, 26-35 between the mid-1970's and early 1990's, and 36-45 in the mid-1990's. Historically, a significant proportion of full-time pharmacists were white men, holding bachelor's degrees. The number of pharmacists has been highest in the South and lowest in the West. In general, pharmacists' annual salary and wage rates have grown steadily, whereas average hours worked per week have decreased from 50 hours to less than 45. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest a growing trend of three demographic groups: aged 36-45, women, and nonwhite. In addition, an increasing proportion of pharmacists holding "higher than bachelor" degrees was observed. The distribution of pharmacists was highest in the South and lowest in the West. The Midwest has the highest pharmacist/population ratio, the South the lowest. On average, full-time pharmacists in the 1990s work 40-45 hours per week, have an annual salary higher than $55,000 (in 1996 dollars), and an hourly wage rate above $25.

Employment↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Health promotion beliefs and practices among pharmacists.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the health promotion beliefs and practices of pharmacists. DESIGN: Cross-sectional mail survey. SETTING: Indiana. PARTICIPANTS: Staff pharmacists. METHODS: Of the 1,440 registered Indiana pharmacies, one-half were selected using a systematic random process. Questionnaires were mailed to the 720 selected pharmacies asking one staff pharmacist to complete a 73-item questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 552 pharmacists responded to the questionnaire, providing a 76.7% response rate. The majority of pharmacists believed that 10 of the 20 behaviors encouraged by national health objectives were very important for the average person. There was, however, considerably less agreement among pharmacists about the importance of the other 10 behaviors and practices. Pharmacists' involvement, preparation, and confidence in specific health promotion areas and activities were limited. A number of barriers were cited by respondents that could have hindered pharmacists' involvement in public health education activities. Despite these hindrances, pharmacists appear to be making strides toward providing health promotion education and activities. CONCLUSION: Pharmacists are readily accessible sources of information concerning the importance of needed lifestyle factors on health. They can provide valuable education to patients about improvement of lifestyles as a routine component of pharmaceutical care.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Pharmacists and immunizations: a national survey.

OBJECTIVES: To obtain information about pharmacists' current involvement in and willingness to provide immunization services, and to assess perceived barriers to providing immunization services. DESIGN: Cross-sectional mail survey. SETTING: National. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: Random sample of 5,342 pharmacists from chain, independent, mass merchandiser/grocery, primary care clinic, and health maintenance organization settings. INTERVENTIONS: None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Responses to survey on pharmacy-based immunization services--current involvement, willingness to get involved, perceived obstacles, and patients' interest. RESULTS: Three mailings yielded a response rate of 25.3% (1,348 responses). Only 53.1% of respondents knew correctly whether their state allowed pharmacists to administer immunizations. Although a significant number of pharmacists were involved in immunization activities, such as counseling and promotion, only 2.2% and 0.9% of respondents were involved in actual administration of adult and childhood immunizations, respectively. In general, men, independents, owners/partners, and pharmacists who had attended immunization-related educational programs were more willing to provide immunization services than were women, chain and staff pharmacists, and educational program nonattendees. Pharmacists who had attended immunization-related educational programs also perceived pharmacist- and patient-related factors as less problematic for pharmacy-based immunization services than did nonattendees. CONCLUSION: This survey provides a baseline measure of the nature and extent of pharmacist involvement in immunizations that can be used now and in future years. The profession can use the findings on pharmacists' willingness to provide immunization services and their perception of obstacles to such services as a basis for targeted educational and promotional programs and materials.

Adult↗