Community pharmacy contribution to weight management: identifying opportunities.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to determine the public's views on weight-management services, including pharmacies as a potential venue, and the extent of current pharmacy involvement in weight management.


METHODS
Two questionnaires were developed for face-to-face interview in one Primary Care Trust area: one for the general public and one for community pharmacists.


RESULTS
Interviews were conducted with 177 members of the public, 75% of whom had tried to lose weight. More had used over-the-counter weight-loss products than prescribed medicines. There was greater awareness of commercial weight-management clinics than of NHS-led initiatives. Leisure centres were the preferred locations for weight-management clinics, with dieticians as the preferred staff. Pharmacies and pharmacists were not favoured as sources of advice on weight management. The questionnaire was completed by 49 community pharmacists (75%). All except one dispensed prescriptions for weight loss and 38 supplied over-the-counter weight-loss products. For both, estimated supply frequency increased with increasing deprivation of the pharmacy's location. Eight pharmacies provided a commercial weight-loss programme and more than half had weighing scales.


CONCLUSIONS
Opportunities exist for extending NHS-led weight-management services from community pharmacies, but further research is required into the public's expectations of services to support an increase in awareness and acceptance.
Krska
Janet
J
School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK. j.krska@ljmu.ac.uk
Lovelady
Claire
C
Connolly
Deborah
D
Parmar
Shaun
S
Davies
Michael J
MJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003258:Consumer Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015431:Weight Loss
D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents