National pharmacy associations in the commonwealth: current scenario and future needs to maximise effective contributions of the pharmacy profession towards universal health coverage

Community pharmacists' roles in providing contraceptive services: views and experiences of adolescents in urban Khon Kaen, Northeast Thailand

OBJECTIVES

Adolescent pregnancy is a national public health priority in Thailand. While contraceptive methods are available to prevent adolescent pregnancy, Thai adolescent contraceptive usage is low. Community pharmacists are likely the first health professionals to contact adolescents engaged in unprotected sex and needing emergency contraception. However, there is limited research on Thai pharmacists' roles in promoting sexual and reproductive health. This study examines Thai adolescents' perspectives on community pharmacists' roles in promoting contraceptives and preventing unwanted pregnancies.

METHOD

This qualitative study recruited 38 adolescents aged 15-19 from one vocational school and one secondary school in Khon Kaen, Thailand. Data were collected from focus group discussions and in-depth interviews and analysed using thematic analysis.

KEY FINDINGS

Participants felt community pharmacists had potentially critical roles in promoting adolescent contraceptive use. Community pharmacists had relevant knowledge of effective contraceptive methods, the risks and benefits of each method, and the quality of different condoms available. Community pharmacists, at times, also provided emotional support to distressed adolescents who came to their store. However, participants reported pharmacists' age, gender, and non-empathetic and judgemental attitudes could be barriers to adolescents' ease of access to contraceptive services.

CONCLUSION

This study highlights the potentially crucial role community pharmacists could play in providing contraceptive information for adolescents. It suggests the need for changes in government policies and education and training of community pharmacists to enhance their soft skills - empathetic and non-judgemental attitudes - and their roles in delivering youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health services.

Scoping of pharmacists' health leadership training needs for effective antimicrobial stewardship in Africa

BACKGROUND

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global public health concern currently mitigated by antimicrobial stewardship (AMS). Pharmacists are strategically placed to lead AMS actions that contribute to responsible use of antimicrobials; however, this is undermined by an acknowledged health leadership skills deficit. Learning from the UK's Chief Pharmaceutical Officer's Global Health (ChPOGH) Fellowship programme, the Commonwealth Pharmacists Association (CPA) is focused to develop a health leadership training program for pharmacists in eight sub-Saharan African countries. This study thus explores need-based leadership training needs for pharmacists to provide effective AMS and inform the CPA's development of a focused leadership training programme, the 'Commonwealth Partnerships in AMS, Health Leadership Programme' (CwPAMS/LP).

METHODS

A mixed methods approach was undertaken. Quantitative data were collected via a survey across 8 sub-Saharan African countries and descriptively analysed. Qualitative data were collected through 5 virtual focus group discussions, held between February and July 2021, involving stakeholder pharmacists from different sectors in the 8 countries and were analysed thematically. Data were triangulated to determine priority areas for the training programme.

RESULTS

The quantitative phase produced 484 survey responses. Focus groups had 40 participants from the 8 countries. Data analysis revealed a clear need for a health leadership programme, with 61% of respondents finding previous leadership training programmes highly beneficial or beneficial. A proportion of survey participants (37%) and the focus groups highlighted poor access to leadership training opportunities in their countries. Clinical pharmacy (34%) and health leadership (31%) were ranked as the two highest priority areas for further training of pharmacists. Within these priority areas, strategic thinking (65%), clinical knowledge (57%), coaching and mentoring (51%), and project management (58%) were selected as the most important.

CONCLUSIONS

The study highlights the training needs of pharmacists and priority focus areas for health leadership to advance AMS within the African context. Context-specific identification of priority areas supports a needs-based approach to programme development, maximising African pharmacists' contribution to AMS for improved and sustainable patient outcomes. This study recommends incorporating conflict management, behaviour change techniques, and advocacy, amongst others, as areas of focus to train pharmacist leaders to contribute to AMS effectively.

Global engagement of pharmacists in test and treat initiatives: Bringing care from clinics to communities

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has placed substantial strain on the global health care workforce, disrupting essential and nonessential services. Task sharing of test and treat services to nontraditional prescribers, such as pharmacists, can facilitate more resilient health care systems by expanding access to health services while simultaneously decreasing the pressure on traditional health care providers. Expansion of pharmacists' scope of work has historically been hindered by sociopolitical, resourcing, and competency considerations; addressing these challenges will be key to including pharmacists in testing and treatment of priority diseases. Sociopolitical considerations include migrating to flexible national legislation and scope of practices as well as engagement with other health care providers and the public to increase the acceptance of pharmacists participating in test and treat services. Resourcing issues include health care financing for test and treat services to parallel established systems or use voucher systems and service competition. In addition, pharmacists can use their training in supply chain management to ease and prevent medication stockouts in test to treat initiatives. Investments in technologies that support disease surveillance, basic reporting, and interoperability with health management information systems can integrate these initiatives into health care systems. Competency considerations comprise test and treat specific education for the pharmacy profession to equip them with the knowledge and confidence to execute successfully. Monitoring and evaluating the outcomes of these services can facilitate the scalability of test and treat initiatives. Pharmacists are uniquely positioned to bring testing and treatment from the clinic to the community.

Pharmacy students' preparation to provide pharmaceutical care for patients with non-communicable diseases in six ASEAN countries: A qualitative study

INTRODUCTION

Pharmacy education programs prepare graduates to promote health for patients with noncommunicable disease (NCDs), but there is limited information concerning Association of South East Asia Nations (ASEAN) countries. The study aim was to synthesize academic staff's, alumni's, and alumni supervisors' perspectives on preparation for students to provide pharmaceutical care in NCDs.

METHODS

A qualitative research design was used. In-depth interviews with structured questions following the Context, Input, Process, and Product/Outcomes model framework were conducted with four academic staff, three alumni, and three alumni supervisors from six study sites in six countries. Interview questions were constructed in Thai and translated to English by using forward and backward translation. Verbatim transcriptions were used to perform thematic analysis with investigator triangulation.

RESULTS

Sixty participants were included. The context showed three main themes related to Burden of NCDs, Pharmacist Roles in NCDs, and Goals. The input showed three main themes of Teaching Methods, Development Plans for Academic Staff, and Budgets and Infrastructure. The process showed one main theme of Struggles in Teaching Methods. The outcomes/outputs showed three main themes of Individual, Organizational, and Professional Levels. Schools need curricula that focus on NCDs, pharmacist competency and skills, and academic preparation of students for practice. Gaps limiting achievement of goals included lack of well-trained academic staff, limited learning facilities, self-learning opportunities, acceptance from other health professionals, and career ladders.

CONCLUSIONS

The preparation of pharmacy students varied in six ASEAN countries. Pharmacy education programs must address existing gaps that limit achievement of goals related to NCDs.