Applying the Theory of Planned Behavior to predict community pharmacists’ intention to provide diabetes care

Abstract

Background The role of the pharmacist has changed from dispensing medicines, to working with other healthcare professionals to assure appropriate medication therapy management. This study assessed community pharmacists’ intention regarding diabetes care based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) in Alexandria, Egypt. Methods A sample of 385 community pharmacies with one index per site (one pharmacist per pharmacy) was recruited in the sample using a multistage random sampling technique. This cross-sectional survey was performed using a self-administered questionnaire that measured the constructs of TPB. A structural equation model was used to identify specific factors that most contribute to and predict pharmacists’ intention to provide diabetes care. Results The sample included 385 pharmacies, approximately half of them (51.4%) were males and the majority of them (94%) had a bachelor’s degree in pharmaceutical sciences. Intention was significantly correlated with attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control. “Regular screening for complications can improve quality of life for diabetic patients” (β = 1.131) was the most specific factor motivating pharmacists to perform diabetes care, while “some physicians do not appreciate pharmacists’ involvement in diabetic care” was the most specific factor that negatively influenced intention of pharmacists to provide diabetes care (β = 4.283). Conclusion Community pharmacists demonstrated a positive attitude, perceived significant approval from others and felt able to intervene in diabetes care. However, lack of physician collaboration was a specific hindering factor for pharmacists’ practice of diabetes care.

Pharmacists’ Knowledge and Intention to Provide Palliative Care Services in Saudi Arabia: Using the Theory of Planned Behaviour

“…Policymakers from the Ministry of Health, hospitals, and community pharmacies could modify these factors to increase the involvement of pharmacists in palliative care; improving their attitudes toward providing palliative care would also increase their intention to deliver these services. In other studies, improving pharmacist attitudes toward various pharmaceutical services increased their intentions to provide these services [25,27,30,33]. Improving societal perspectives, including those of healthcare providers, on palliative care would strengthen the impact of subjective norms on pharmacists' intention to provide palliative care.…”

“…More than 80% of participants agreed that providing palliative care was beneficial, good, useful, and pleasant for patients. Previous studies have found that pharmacists have positive attitudes toward different pharmaceutical services [3,27,28]. For example, a Nigerian study conducted in 2017 showed that pharmacists had a positive attitude toward providing these services [3].…”

“…For example, a Nigerian study conducted in 2017 showed that pharmacists had a positive attitude toward providing these services [3]. Another in 2022 showed that pharmacists had a positive attitude toward providing diabetic care [27]. Other healthcare providers and patients perceive the palliative care services of pharmacists as beneficial [14].…”

“…Improving societal perspectives, including those of healthcare providers, on palliative care would strengthen the impact of subjective norms on pharmacists' intention to provide palliative care. Studies have shown that improving the support received from pharmacy supervisors enables them to provide various pharmaceutical services [27,30,33,34]. Furthermore, the lack of time hinders pharmacists from delivering various pharmaceutical services [12,35].…”

Differences in influencing mechanism of clinicians’ adoption behavior for liver cancer screening technology between the leading and subordinate hospitals within medical consortiums

“…Even more remarkable, it revealed that the correlation between behavioral attitudes, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control was significantly greater in subordinate hospitals than in the leading ones. Given the disparity in financial support and medical resources between leading and subordinate hospitals within Chinese medical consortiums, especially subordinate hospitals in resource-poor areas confronted with constraints of fewer organizational resources and lower individual capabilities [ 50 ], medical staff in subordinate hospitals had fewer types of health technologies to choose, which would probably make them rely more on specific technologies and also tend to develop common beliefs toward regarding technologies [ 51 ].…”