Taylor Denise A, Taylor Andrea D J, Jones Matthew, Family Hannah E
Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath and Northeast Somerset, UK.
Prim Health Care Res Dev. 2024 Dec 20;25:e69. doi: 10.1017/S1463423624000409.
We aimed to explore participant perspectives on social prescribing (SP) for mental health and well-being and the acceptability of community pharmacists (CP) as members of SP pathways that support people with mild to moderate depression and anxiety.
SP aims to support people with poor health related to socio-demographic determinants. Positive effects of SP on self-belief, mood, well-being, and health are well documented, including a return to work for long-term unemployed.
The study was set in a city in southwest England with diverse cultural and socio-demographics. We recruited SP stakeholders, including CP, to either one of 17 interviews or a focus group with nine members of the public.
An inductive iterative approach to thematic analysis produced four superordinate themes: (1) offering choice a non-pharmacological option, (2) supporting pharmacy communities - 'it is an extension of what we do', (3) stakeholder perspectives - pharmacists are very busy and their expertise unknown by some, and (4) potential for pharmacy in primary care.Stakeholders viewed CP as local to and accessible by their community. Pharmacists perceived referral to SP services as part of their current role. General practitioner participants considered pharmacy involvement could reduce their workload and expand the primary healthcare team. Importantly, general practitioners and CP viewed SP as a non-pharmacological alternative to prescribing unnecessary antidepressants and reduce associated adverse effects. All participants voiced concerns about pharmacy dispensing busyness as a potential barrier to involvement and pharmacists requesting mental health training updates.Key findings suggest CP offer a potential alternative to the general practitioner for people with mild to moderate depression and anxiety seeking access to support and health information. However, CP need appropriately commissioned and funded involvement in SP, including backfill for ongoing dispensing, medicines optimization, and mental health first aid training.
我们旨在探讨参与者对心理健康和幸福的社会处方（SP）的看法，以及社区药剂师（CP）作为支持轻度至中度抑郁和焦虑患者的SP途径成员的可接受性。
SP旨在支持与社会人口学决定因素相关的健康状况不佳的人群。SP对自我信念、情绪、幸福和健康的积极影响有充分记录，包括长期失业者重返工作岗位。
该研究在英格兰西南部一个具有多元文化和社会人口特征的城市进行。我们招募了包括CP在内的SP利益相关者，进行17次访谈中的一次或与9名公众进行焦点小组讨论。
采用归纳迭代的主题分析方法产生了四个上位主题：（1）提供选择——一种非药物选择，（2）支持药学社区——“这是我们工作的延伸”，（3）利益相关者观点——药剂师非常忙碌，一些人对他们的专业知识并不了解，（4）初级保健中药学的潜力。利益相关者认为CP是其社区的本地人且易于接触。药剂师认为转介到SP服务是他们当前职责的一部分。全科医生参与者认为药学参与可以减轻他们的工作量并扩大初级医疗团队。重要的是，全科医生和CP认为SP是开具不必要抗抑郁药的非药物替代方法，并可减少相关不良反应。所有参与者都对药房配药繁忙作为参与的潜在障碍以及药剂师要求更新心理健康培训表示担忧。主要研究结果表明，对于寻求获得支持和健康信息的轻度至中度抑郁和焦虑患者，CP为全科医生提供了一种潜在的替代选择。然而，CP需要在SP中获得适当的委托和资金支持，包括对持续配药、药物优化和心理健康急救培训的补充。
