Lio Ee Lee, Maharajan Mari Kannan, Rajiah Kingston
School of Postgraduate Studies, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, 57200, Malaysia.
School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Selangor, 43500, Malaysia.
Int J Pharm Pract. 2025 Feb 7;33(1):58-63. doi: 10.1093/ijpp/riae066.
Smoking remains a significant public health concern, necessitating effective smoking cessation interventions. This study explores the barriers community pharmacists face in delivering smoking cessation services in Malaysia and potential solutions to improve their contribution to public health.
This qualitative study employed purposive and snowball sampling to recruit community pharmacists in Malaysia. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, exploring pharmacists' perspectives on barriers, counselling approaches, follow-up strategies, and opinions on smoking cessation services. Thematic analysis was employed to identify key themes and sub-themes.
Three main themes emerged from the data analysis: barriers, counselling and enhancing follow-up, and pharmacists' opinions on professional fees. Under the theme of barriers, sub-themes included underutilization by the public, poor follow-up by customers, time constraints, lack of educational materials and support, and customer perception. The counselling and enhancing follow-up theme encompassed shared decision-making, motivational intervention, follow-up via phone calls or messaging apps, and providing rebate vouchers. Pharmacists' opinions on professional fees revealed mixed perspectives, with some advocating for fees to recognize the professional service provided, while others expressed concerns about access barriers.
Community pharmacists face challenges in delivering smoking cessation services, such as underutilization, poor follow-up, time constraints, and affordability. However, strategies like shared decision-making and proactive communication can enhance effectiveness. Addressing professional fees and collaborative efforts are essential to optimising these services.
吸烟仍然是一个重大的公共卫生问题，需要有效的戒烟干预措施。本研究探讨了马来西亚社区药剂师在提供戒烟服务时面临的障碍以及提高他们对公共卫生贡献的潜在解决方案。
这项定性研究采用目的抽样和滚雪球抽样方法招募马来西亚的社区药剂师。进行了半结构化访谈，探讨药剂师对障碍、咨询方法、随访策略以及对戒烟服务的看法。采用主题分析法确定关键主题和子主题。
数据分析得出三个主要主题：障碍、咨询与加强随访以及药剂师对专业费用的看法。在障碍主题下，子主题包括公众利用不足、客户随访不佳、时间限制、缺乏教育材料和支持以及客户认知。咨询与加强随访主题包括共同决策、动机干预、通过电话或信息应用程序进行随访以及提供回扣券。药剂师对专业费用的看法呈现出不同观点，一些人主张收取费用以认可所提供的专业服务，而另一些人则对获取障碍表示担忧。
社区药剂师在提供戒烟服务时面临挑战，如利用不足、随访不佳、时间限制和可负担性。然而，共同决策和积极沟通等策略可以提高有效性。解决专业费用问题和开展合作努力对于优化这些服务至关重要。
