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. 2019 Mar 21;19(1):186.
doi: 10.1186/s12913-019-3987-3.

A new model for pharmacies? Insights from a quantitative study regarding the public's perceptions

Verónica Policarpo  1 , Sónia Romano  2 , João H C António  3 , Tânia Sofia Correia  3 , Suzete Costa  4
Affiliations

A new model for pharmacies? Insights from a quantitative study regarding the public's perceptions

Verónica Policarpo et al. BMC Health Serv Res. .

Abstract

Background: Worldwide community pharmacies are shifting their role in the healthcare system from simple medication dispensers to health care providers. High levels of satisfaction with pharmacy services were found in previous studies. This study has two main goals. The primary goal is to describe the levels of satisfaction and knowledge regarding pharmacy services in Portugal. The secondary goal is to explore the perceptions and the utilisation of pharmacy services by the Portuguese. This statement includes exploring the impact of a set of variables on both perceptions and uses of pharmacies in regard to services that are currently offered as well as to new services that may be provided in the future.

Methods: A face-to-face survey of closed-ended questions was applied to a nationwide representative sample of the Portuguese population in September 2015. The sample was weighted based on population distribution across regions, habitat, age and gender. Data analysis comprises descriptive statistics and Multiple Correspondence Analysis to explore different typologies of respondent's orientation toward community pharmacy.

Results: A total of 1114 interviews comprised the study. Of the respondents, 36% used the pharmacy as a first resource when seeking to treat a minor ailment, and 54% reported that they use the pharmacy as a first resource when seeking answers about medicines. Of those who visited their pharmacy at least once in the previous year, 94% were either globally satisfied or very satisfied. The level of acknowledgement of pharmacy services' was also high among the Portuguese. Of the participants, 29% considered there could be more services available in pharmacies that are currently provided by other health care facilities. The construction of a typology of orientations towards community pharmacy practice resulted in three outcome groups: "Motivated" (63%), those with a connection to a pharmacy; "Settled" (23%), mainly those who had a pharmacy nearby; and "Demobilised" (14%), those who are weakly tied to a pharmacy.

Conclusions: The vast majority of the Portuguese population has a strong positive attitude towards their community pharmacy, as expressed by the high levels of satisfaction with, and positive evaluation of, the pharmacy's services.

Keywords: Community pharmacy; Evaluation of pharmacy services; Pharmacy services; Portugal; Satisfaction.

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Conflict of interest statement

Ethics approval and consent to participate

The data collection for this study was conducted by CESOP, Research Centre of Public Opinion of the Catholic University of Portugal, in September 2015, according to the standard ethical procedures of survey research and in accordance with established national practice in similar cases. CESOP is recognised by ERC (http://www.erc.pt), the Portuguese Regulatory Authority for the Media, as an Opinion Poll Research Centre. The survey was conducted in compliance with the Portuguese legislation that regulates surveys (Lei n° 10/2000) and personal data protection (Lei n°67/98), which requires no specific ethical approval, nor written informed consent in these types of surveys. The current study has no experimental conditions, and it does not subject the respondents to any form of conditional information. The study is based on an opinion survey that was answered exclusively by persons of legal age. The objectives of the study were explained to all participants. All respondents were informed that the data would be fully anonymous, that it would be impossible to return the information to each individual, and that the information collected would only be used for the purposes of this particular study. All respondents were informed that they could cease the study at any time. All respondents were asked if they were willing to participate and all participants gave oral consent to their participation in the survey.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Competing interests

We have read the journal’s policy, and the authors of this manuscript have the following competing interests. Suzete Costa and Sónia Romano are employed by different research departments of ANF. The views expressed in this manuscript are those of the authors (CESOP and CEFAR) and do not necessarily reflect those of the funder.

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Figures

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Level of satisfaction with pharmacy services
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Level of knowledge of pharmacy services
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Level of importance of pharmacy services
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Fig. 4
A typology of orientations towards community pharmacy practice
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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