Abstract:
This study was a cross-sectional study using mailed questionnaire. The objectives were to investigate factors affecting levels of participation in weight control dietary supplements decision-making of Thai community pharmacists and to compare internal factors, environmental factors, and levels of participation between pharmacists practicing in independent pharmacies, and chain and franchise pharmacies. Of the 970 questionnaires sent out, 315 completed questionnaires were obtained, resulting in a response rate of 32.47%.
Two situations of pharmacist-customer encounter were assumed. In the first situation, it was assumed that the customers requested weight control dietary supplements by name. In this situation, 41.9% of the pharmacists indicated that they usually gave advice about other alternatives and let the customers make their own decisions. Multinomial logistic regression revealed that attitudes towards weight control dietary supplements, attitudes towards practice, commercial motivation, and years of experience in community pharmacy significantly influenced participation levels of pharmacists in this situation. For the second situation, it was assumed that the customers asked for a recommendation regarding weight control dietary supplements. In this situation, about 56.2% of the pharmacists usually recommended products and let the customers make their own decisions. In this situation, it was found that attitudes towards weight control dietary supplements, attitudes towards practice, commercial motivation, years of experience in community pharmacy, contact time, and types of community pharmacy significantly influenced participation levels of the pharmacists. When looking at the differences between pharmacists practicing in independent pharmacies and those in chain and franchise pharmacies, it was found that there were significant differences in participation levels in both situations. In both situations, most of the pharmacists practicing in independent pharmacies indicated that they usually gave advice about weight control dietary supplements and let the customers make their own decision. On the other hand, some pharmacists indicated that they rarely sold these products but gave advice about diet control and exercise, instead. The majority of pharmacists practicing in chain and franchise pharmacies usually gave advice about weight control dietary supplements and let the customers make their own decisions in both situations. Also, it was found that most of the community pharmacists perceived that they had moderate knowledge about weight control dietary supplements. Therefore, related organizations should take proper action in providing correct information and update knowledge about weight control dietary supplements for community pharmacists. In addition, they should recognize the important role that community pharmacists play in participating in their customers’ decisions concerning weight control dietary supplements, and they should encourage community pharmacists to develop their role