Assessment of Health Promotion Services in Community Pharmacies of Addis Ababa, ETHIOPIA
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Date
2019-01
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Addis Abeba University
Abstract
Pharmacist‘s role is changing globally from drug compounding and dispensing to health
promotion and patient care. Despite the fact that Ethiopia is facing a double burden from noncommunicable
and communicable diseases, community pharmacists in the country are rarely
involved in health promotion services. This study aimed to identify level of involvement, barriers
for pharmacists to provide health promotion functions in community pharmacies and assess
community pharmacists‘ beliefs, willingness and perceived ability in providing health promotion
services in community pharmacies. Qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection were
used to answer the study objectives. For the quantitative part, self-administered questionnaires
were distributed to 315 community pharmacists who were working in Addis Ababa. Simple
descriptive statistics and multiple regression were used to analyze the data. For the qualitative
part, in-depth interviews were held with stakeholders from Ministry of Health, Ethiopian Food,
Medicine, Healthcare Administration and Control Authority and Ethiopian Pharmaceutical
Association. The study revealed that 58% of pharmacists interviewed were not rendering health
promotion services in community pharmacies. Age and work experiences found to be associated
with provision of health promotion services. In such a way that pharmacists between 22-27 years
old and with work experience 3 years and less are more involved on providing health
promotional services. Furthermore, majority of community pharmacists 283(95.3%) felt that
provision of health promotion services in community pharmacies have favorable impact on
preventing disease and promoting health. They are also willing 263(88.6%) to perform health
promotional functions. Moreover, they felt they are good at promoting physical activity
223(75%), screening diabetes 219(73.7%), promoting healthy eating 217(73%), on the other
hand community pharmacists perceived unable on utilizing the test kits for screening cholesterol
149(50%) and explaining physiologic harms of khat chewing 121(41%). Absence of guideline on
pharmacists‘ health promotion role , lack of space to maintain privacy, knowledge and skill gaps
were claimed to be barriers for rendering health promotion services in community pharmacies.
Thus, community pharmacists‘ involvement in health promotion is low. It is recommended to
develop guideline on health promotion role of pharmacists in the scope of practice, strengthen
pre-service and in service training on health promotion and implementation of MoHlatest
directives towards health promotion role of community pharmacists.
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Keywords
Health Services, Pharmacies