The large gap between customer expectations and actual explanations of supplements by pharmacists / 日本プライマリ・ケア連合学会誌

ABSTRACT

<b><i>Abstract</i></b><br><b>Objective</b> In this study, we conducted a survey on both the use of supplements by customers and information provided by pharmacists, to clarify customer understanding. We also sought to ascertain the actual current state of information provided by pharmacists to customers, as well as investigating both how, and to what extent, pharmacists should be involved in customers 'use of supplements.<br><b>Methodology</b> During regular pharmacy visits, pharmacists used a questionnaire to interview 1,253 customers, in 14 community pharmacies, in Tokyo and Hokkaido, respectively. A different questionnaire, designed for pharmacists, was also given to 289 pharmacists who were either working in those same pharmacies, or who attended the Conference on Pharmaceutical Sciences in Hokkaido (2011, Sapporo).<br><b>Results</b> The results of the survey showed that approximately 50％ of consumers greatly desired the provision of safety and efficacy information about supplements by pharmacists. However, few pharmacists answered customers' questions satisfactorily (only 7.3％ of total responses).<br> The results also indicated that only 30％ of pharmacists actively gathered information about supplements, despite the fact that 67.5％ of pharmacists were aware that they were expected to do so by customers, in their roles as primary information providers regarding such treatments. Furthermore, even those pharmacists who checked information regarding supplements depended mostly on information acquired from the Internet.<br><b>Conclusion</b> There is a large gap between customers' expectations for explanation of supplements and the reality of such explanations, and the information actually provided by pharmacists. In order to live up to their customers' expectations, pharmacists should foster both wider dissemination and better understanding of evidence-based information about supplements. Pharmacists should also provide integrated management of drugs and supplements for patients.