Role of community pharmacists in weight management: results of a national study in Lebanon

Abstract

Background Ideally situated within the community, pharmacists can be involved in a broad range of health promotion campaigns including prevention of obesity. Limited evidence is available regarding their involvement in weight management in Lebanon, a country with escalating prevalence rate of obesity. Objective To examine the role of community pharmacists in weight management in Lebanon, specifically studying their beliefs, current practices, services, and knowledge. Methods Using a stratified random sampling approach, a cross sectional national survey of community pharmacists was conducted (n = 341, response rate 89%). At the pharmacy, and through a face-to-face interview, pharmacists completed a multi-component questionnaire that addressed, in addition to socio-demographic and work characteristics, their beliefs, practices, knowledge in relation to weight management. Frequencies and proportions were used to describe the data. Simple and multiple linear regression analyses were used to examine the determinants of knowledge in the study population. Results Over 80% of study participants agreed that they have an important role to play in weight management. However, 50% of pharmacists did not agree that weight loss products are well regulated and 81.1% thought that companies marketing weight loss products are making false promises. The majority of pharmacists always/often sold weight loss products (84.7%) and counseled their patients for diet (86.3%) and physical activity (91.7%). Despite taking weight and height measurements, 50% of pharmacists rarely/never calculated BMI. Among the pharmacists who reported side effects of weight loss products (46.5%), the majority (91.3%) did so to the pharmaceutical company. The knowledge of pharmacists was better for the use of weight loss products as opposed to their side effects and interactions. Significant predictors of knowledge were holding a Masters/ PhD degree in Pharmacy, graduating from a university inside Lebanon, obtaining weight management training within the academic degree, and receiving inquiries about weight management in the pharmacy more than once daily. Conclusions The results of the study provided important insights on the beliefs, practices and knowledge of community pharmacists in weight management in Lebanon. These findings could be used to inform the development of future evidence-based community pharmacists led weight management service provision nationally and internationally.

The role of pharmacists in complementary and alternative medicine in Lebanon: users’ perspectives

“…On one hand, the majority of participants reported receiving good education of the CAM product, its side effects and mode of use. Such results are in accordance with a previous investigation about the services of weight management among community pharmacists in Lebanon, and which showed a broad range of services that the pharmacists offered to assist their patients in controlling their weight [ 24 ]. Together, these findings further underscore the fact that the pharmacist’s involvement in CAM products is in fact an extension of their roles in pharmaceutical care, clinical pharmacy practices and collaborative healthcare teams’.…”

“…Together, these findings further underscore the fact that the pharmacist’s involvement in CAM products is in fact an extension of their roles in pharmaceutical care, clinical pharmacy practices and collaborative healthcare teams’. Professional associations, such as the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP), the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists and the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists, have recommended that the profession of pharmacy actively embrace dietary supplements (natural health products, vitamins and minerals) as part of the pharmacist’s scope of practice [ 24 , 45 ]. On the other hand, however, a significant proportion of interviewed CAM users reported that pharmacists were not asking question about their medical history before dispensing CAM products nor were they providing information on CAM-drug interaction.…”

“…Ideally situated within the community, they can be involved in a broad range of health promotion campaigns and services, including the promotion of safe and effective CAM use. Recently, a national study on the beliefs, practices and knowledge of community pharmacists regarding CAM in Lebanon showed that pharmacists generally have positive beliefs towards CAM use and are greatly involved in dispensing CAM, despite a few gaps in their practices and knowledge which were found to be mainly related to counseling patients and raising awareness of CAM-drug interactions [ 24 ]. Such an active role of pharmacists in CAM has also been observed in other countries.…”

A cross sectional study on beliefs and roles of community pharmacy professionals in preventing and managing metabolic syndrome in an Ethiopian setting

“…This finding concurs with the result of other study which reported that CPPs believed metabolic syndrome as a common health problem in the country that is largely related to obesity and sedentary lifestyles of the public [ 25 ]. Another study completed from Lebanon also noted that more than 80% of CPPs agreed as they have a pivotal role in weight reduction efforts [ 14 ]. A high percentage of participants disagreed (41.5%) and remained neutral (36.9%) to statement that mentions as the public awareness towards the link between metabolic syndrome and the high risk for cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes is poor.…”

“…A similar study reported that pharmacist-physician collaborative practice in the care of patients with the MetS increased the proportion of patients who has get rid of the syndrome after yielding a significant improvement in blood pressure control and triglycerides levels over a 6 month period [ 13 ]. Another study completed in Lebanon stated that more than 80% of CPPs agreed that they have a key role to play in weight reduction [ 14 ].…”