title: Exploring the relationship between mental health stigma, knowledge and provision of pharmacy services for consumers with schizophrenia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pharmacists' provision of medication counseling and medication review has been shown to improve adherence and resolve drug-related problems. Lack of knowledge of mental health conditions and negative beliefs may act as a barrier to the provision of pharmacy services. It is unclear how pharmacists' knowledge and attitudes impact their provision of pharmacy services.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To explore the relationship between pharmacists' level of mental health stigma, mental health literacy and behavioral intentions in relation to providing pharmacy services for consumers with schizophrenia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey instrument containing a measure of mental health literacy, the 7-item social distance scale, and 16 items relating to the provision of pharmacy services for consumers with schizophrenia compared to cardiovascular disease, was mailed to a random sample of 1000 pharmacists registered with the Pharmacy Board of New South Wales in November 2009. Multiple linear regression models were used to assess the relationship between stigma, knowledge and behavior.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Responses were received from 188 pharmacists. Pharmacists were significantly more confident and comfortable to provide services to consumers with a cardiovascular illness than a mental illness. Social distance, β = -0.11 (95% CI: -0.22, -0.01, P = 0.03), and schizophrenia literacy scores, β = 1.02, (95% CI: 0.54, 1.50, P < 0.001), were strongly associated with willingness to provide medication counseling. Schizophrenia literacy was also a predictor of identifying drug-related problems, β = 1.09 (95% CI: 0.39, 1.79, P = 0.002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low levels of mental health stigma and high levels of schizophrenia literacy were associated with pharmacists being more willing to provide medication counseling and identify drug-related problems for consumers with schizophrenia. This demonstrates the importance of improving knowledge and stigma surrounding schizophrenia to improve service delivery for consumers taking medications for schizophrenia.
authors: Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmacy and Bank Building A15, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia. Electronic address: claire.oreilly@sydney.edu.au.
authors: Claire L
authors: CL
authors: O'Reilly
authors: Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmacy and Bank Building A15, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; Quality Use of Medicines and Pharmacy Research Centre, Sansom Institute, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia; Kuopio Research Centre of Geriatric Care, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland; Clinical Pharmacology and Geriatric Pharmacotherapy Unit, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.
authors: J Simon
authors: JS
authors: Bell
authors: Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors: Patrick J
authors: PJ
authors: Kelly
authors: Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmacy and Bank Building A15, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
authors: Timothy F
authors: TF
authors: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D009517:New South Wales; D010593:Pharmaceutical Services; D010595:Pharmacists; D012929:Psychological Distance; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D057545:Social Stigma
keywords: Attitude of health personnel; Mental health services; Pharmacists; Schizophrenia; Social stigma