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‘The public rely on me a lot’: Rural pharmacists’ perspectives on their roles in oral health care
Author(s) -
Hoang Ha,
Barnett Tony,
Kirschbaum Mark,
Dunbar Stephanie,
Wong Rita
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
australian journal of rural health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.48
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1440-1584
pISSN - 1038-5282
DOI - 10.1111/ajr.12460
Subject(s) - medicine , referral , pharmacy , nursing , rural health , family medicine , oral health , health promotion , health care , oral health care , public health , pharmacist , rural area , pathology , economics , economic growth
Objective To examine rural pharmacists’ perspectives on their roles in oral health in rural communities and collaborations with dental practitioners. Design A qualitative research study using face‐to‐face, semistructured interviews. Interview data were thematically analysed with the assistance of Nvivo 10. Setting Eleven rural communities across rural Tasmania. Participants Twenty community pharmacists. Results Five major themes emerged: (i) barriers for patients to access dental services; (ii) oral health presentations to rural pharmacies; (iii) roles of pharmacists in oral health care (subthemes: advice; health promotion; and referrals); (iv) collaborations with dental practitioners; and (v) oral health education and training. Conclusion This study suggests that rural community pharmacists had advisory and referral roles in oral health and acknowledged that they could play a greater role in oral health promotion. It was suggested that oral health could be incorporated into existing pharmacy health promotion and surveillance activities. There was a lack of collaboration between pharmacists and dentists or dental services and limited oral health education and training provided to pharmacists. Stronger collaboration between pharmacists and dental practitioners and better oral health training for pharmacists may enhance their role in promoting oral health within rural communities.