Taing MW, Tan ETX, Williams GM, Clavarino AM, McGuire TM. Herbal and nutrient complementary medicines for weight loss: community pharmacists' practices, attitudes, recommendations, information and education needs.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACY PRACTICE 2015;
24:160-9. [PMID:
26671003 DOI:
10.1111/ijpp.12232]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2015] [Accepted: 09/23/2015] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
To investigate pharmacists' herbal/nutrient weight loss complementary medicine (WLCM) practices in the context of other pharmacist weight management support practices (provision of lifestyle advice, orlistat and meal replacement treatments); and gain insight into their attitudes, recommendations, information and education needs.
METHODS
Pharmacists from a randomly selected sample of 214 community pharmacies from different socioeconomic areas in the Greater Brisbane region, Australia, were invited to complete a survey to explore their weight management practices, with a specific focus on herbal/nutrient WLCM practices. Data collected from the sample group represented pharmacist practices within the metropolitan Greater Brisbane region.
KEY FINDINGS
This survey achieved a 51% response rate. During weight management consultations, a high proportion of customers (37%) sought advice from community pharmacists relating to WLCMs relative to other weight management practices; however, only a small proportion (10%) of pharmacists recommended them. Most were also found to be using resources that may not be evidence-based or do not provide sufficient WLCMs' information.
CONCLUSION
Study results highlight the need for pharmacy professional bodies to develop evidence-based continuing education programmes to assist consumers with popular and widely available WLCMs products.
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