You’ve Got All This Knowledge, But If You Can’t Help That Person Understand, Then What’s The Point? Community Pharmacists’ Views On Their Role In Achieving Pacific Heart Health Equity In Aotearoa, New Zealand

• By: HUTCHINGS, Jess (The University of Auckland, New Zealand)
• Co-author(s): Ms Jess Hutchings (The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand)
  
• Abstract:

  “You’ve got all this knowledge, but if you can’t help that person understand, then what’s the point?”
  Community pharmacists’ views on their role in achieving Pacific heart health equity in Aotearoa, New Zealand.
  
  Jess Lagaluga Hutchings, Dr Corina Grey, Dr Karen Brewer, Dr Trudi Aspden
  Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland
  
  Keywords
  Pharmacy practice, cultural safety, equity, cardiovascular disease
  
  Background
  Over several decades, there has been increasing recognition of the need to address inequitable health outcomes among ethnic populations. Attempts to address these inequities have included strategic plans targeted at specific ethnic populations and professional practice guidelines.
  
  In Aotearoa, New Zealand (NZ), community pharmacists are progressively involved in disease management support, particularly for chronic conditions and screening services. However, their role in supporting equitable heart health outcomes for Pacific people is not well understood.
  
  Objectives
  This research explored the experiences of community pharmacists working in Pacific communities regarding their role in, and contributions to reducing inequities in heart health. It also aimed to understand how pharmacists support Pacific patients with cardiovascular disease and how this could be improved.
  
  Method
  Interviews were conducted using a semi-structured topic guide. The research was framed by interpretive description, grounded in Pacific principles, and used template analysis to generate themes.
  
  Results
  Twelve community pharmacists were interviewed. Five themes were identified: (i) pharmacists' perceptions of their role in heart health equity, (ii) tensions between culturally and clinically safe practices, (iii) pharmacists’ role in multi-disciplinary teams in primary healthcare, (iv) the inconsistent and confusing healthcare system, (v) inequitable care exacerbated by an inflexible and inequitable system. Suggestions to improve pharmacists’ support included flexible funding models, upskilling of staff and more pharmacist involvement in multidisciplinary teams.
  
  Conclusion
  Community pharmacists believe they contribute towards achieving Pacific heart health equity. Influenced by other healthcare professionals and the healthcare system, these roles were primarily described as medicine experts and providers, counselling and education and safety netting for the public and GPs. With a changing healthcare environment and a shift towards preventive care, there was a strong desire for future improvements, all contributing to a more equitable heart healthcare space for Pacific people in Aotearoa, NZ.
  
  Topic area
  Pharmacy practice research