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Consumer perceptions of community pharmacy‐based promotion of mental health and well‐being
Author(s) -
Hall Bethany,
Kelly Fiona,
Wheeler Amanda J.,
McMillan Sara S.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
health promotion journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.515
H-Index - 32
eISSN - 2201-1617
pISSN - 1036-1073
DOI - 10.1002/hpja.312
Subject(s) - pharmacy , mental health , promotion (chess) , health promotion , medicine , mental illness , public health , family medicine , nursing , psychiatry , political science , politics , law
Issue addressed With nearly half of all Australians likely to experience a mental illness, increasing community‐based mental health promotion is warranted. Community pharmacies are accessible health care destinations that effectively provide a range of public health services. This study explored consumer opinions of mental health promotion in the community pharmacy setting, the activities they have observed and the perceived role/s of pharmacy staff in this area. Methods A survey was informed by five interviews with pharmacy consumers and a literature review. Adult pharmacy consumers were recruited nationwide via a Research Panel company between December 2018 and January 2019. Survey data were descriptively analysed and associations confirmed by chi‐square analysis. Results Data were analysed from 537 of the 577 respondents; 34.3% of participants had a lived experience of mental illness. Just under a quarter of participants (23.3%) had observed mental health promotion in community pharmacy. Pharmacy was viewed as a suitable environment for this promotion by most respondents (n = 446/516), particularly those with lived experience, with a preference for in‐store leaflets, posters and linking with existing national mental health organisations/campaigns. Lack of privacy and the busy pharmacy environment were identified as barriers for promotion in this setting. Conclusion There is a clear potential for mental health promotion within community pharmacies, although the uptake and impact of such activities require further investigation. So what? These findings highlight a missed opportunity for pharmacists to engage with consumers about mental health and well‐being, even though community pharmacies are accessible health care destinations.