Public attitudes towards community pharmacy attributes and preferences for methods for promotion of public health services

- The general public prefers a community pharmacy that is near to home or doctor's surgery, due to convenience of access.
- Personal recommendation by health professionals or family/friends is most likely to encourage service uptake.
- Pharmacists should be aware of differences in public's preferences when trying to reach specific population.

ObjectiveTo identify attitudes towards pharmacy characteristics and promotional methods for selected pharmacy public health services (lifestyle advice and screening for cardiovascular risk factors) among different sectors of the general public.Study designCross-sectional survey, using a previously validated questionnaire.MethodsThree survey methods were used, across 15 areas of England, to maximize diversity: face-to-face; telephone; and self-completion of paper questionnaires. Responses to closed questions regarding characteristics and promotion were quantified and differences among sub-groups explored by univariate and multivariate analysis.ResultsIn total, 2661 responses were available for analysis: 2047 face-to-face; 301 telephone; and 313 paper. There were strong preferences for a pharmacy near to home or doctor's surgery and for long opening hours, particularly among employed people and non-whites. Fifty percent preferred not to use a pharmacy in a supermarket, particularly older people, the retired, those of lower education and frequent pharmacy users. Personal recommendation by health professionals or family/friends was reported as most likely to encourage uptake of pharmacy public health services, with older people and males being less likely and frequent pharmacy users more likely to perceive any promotional method as influential. Posters/leaflets were preferred over mass-media methods, with fewer than 30% perceiving the latter as potentially influential.ConclusionPharmacists, pharmacy companies and service commissioners should use promotional methods favoured by potential users of pharmacy public health services and be aware of differences in attitudes when trying to reach specific population sub-groups. For personal recommendation to be successful, good inter-professional working and a pro-active approach to existing customers are needed.