Health promotion and health education: perception, barriers and standard of practices of community pharmacists

Community pharmacists are one of the most accessible healthcare practitioners who could play a major role in the provision of health promotion and health education services to the community. This study was conducted to examine their self-reported practice, perception and barriers to take part in these services. A cross-sectional survey was undertaken with a convenient sample of 40 registered community pharmacists (67% response rate) practising in four urban areas (Bangi, Kajang, Puchong and Seri Kembangan) in the state of Selangor. The pharmacists who gave their informed consent were interviewed using a validated structured questionnaire. Data obtained were analysed using SPSS. Total of 70% of these pharmacists were female and nearly half of them have greater than 10 years of working experience. Community pharmacists in this study were actively involved in diabetes counselling (95%, n = 38), asthma counselling (93%), oral contraceptives counselling (93%), smoking cessation counselling (83%), nutrition and physical activity counselling (78%) and oral health counselling (63%). However, their involvement in health-promotion activities such as immunization (40%) was limited. Among the pharmacists who deliver health-promotion services, only 15% maintain logbook of this activities and not more than 53% have access to quality evidence on health promotion and obtain feedback from the community. A number of barriers such as lack of time (60%) and training (40%) were cited as obstacles that have hindered pharmacists' involvement. Despite these challenges, the participants believe that their involvement in health-promotion activities could improve the publics' health and the state of their profession.