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. 2021 Apr 7;12(2):10.24926/iip.v12i2.3634.
doi: 10.24926/iip.v12i2.3634. eCollection 2021.

Consumer's Opinion on a Pharmacist's Role in Nutritional Counseling

Megan Meier  1 , Reshmi L Singh  1 , Baskaran Thyagarajan  1
Affiliations

Consumer's Opinion on a Pharmacist's Role in Nutritional Counseling

Megan Meier et al. Innov Pharm. .

Abstract

Background: Nutrition has become an increasing health concern. From fad diets to exercise programs, the consumer seems to be consulting multiple resources that all provide a different answer in the process of obtaining optimal health. Easily accessible pharmacists may be the sources to answer crucial nutritional issues facing society today.

Methods: Using the results of a previous study about food perceptions among lean and non-lean populations, interview questions were created to determine the populations' nutrition and pharmacist's role knowledge. Nutrition knowledge among lean vs. non-lean consumers was assessed by determining experience with pharmacist nutritional counseling, how experience perceptions differed, and how these perceptions can shape a pharmacist's role. Audio recorded interviews were conducted in a rural setting. Seventy-two English speaking, ambulatory, lean (BMI ≤ 24) and non-lean (BMI ≥ 25) residents between the ages 25-71 years participated in the study in a small western United States town.

Results: 26.3% of consumers obtained nutrition information from the internet; however, the internet and healthcare providers were considered the most trustworthy. When asked about the pharmacist's role in nutrition counseling, 32.7% believed that pharmacists were not a reliable source based on education background. Another 10.2% thought pharmacists were too busy for counseling.

Discussion: This study indicates the consumers' knowledge on pharmacists' education, willingness to seek out nutrition knowledge, and a pharmacist's ability to provide nutrition counseling can differ between lean and non-lean consumers. Lean consumers tend to have more interaction with a pharmacist whereas non-lean consumers do not.

Conclusion: As a profession, pharmacists should educate consumers on reliable nutrition resources, a pharmacist's education, and how they use their role to provide consumers with nutrition knowledge.

Keywords: counseling; nutrition; patient education; pharmacy education; public health.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest: We declare no conflicts of interest or financial interests that the authors or members of their immediate families have in any product or service discussed in the manuscript, including grants (pending or received), employment, gifts, stock holdings or options, honoraria, consultancies, expert testimony, patents and royalties.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Percentage of Consumers Who Used Various Resources As Their Primary Source of Nutritional Information
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Percentage of lean vs. non-lean consumers who have never consulted a pharmacist about supplements
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Percentage of Various Reasons that Consumers Have or Have Not Consulted a Pharmacist About Nutrition
Figure A.1.
Figure A.1.
Interview Questions
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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