{"title":"Diversity, equality, and inclusivity in pharmacy services: a scoping review.","authors":"Umm-E- Kalsoom, Amjad Khan, Sara Garfield","doi":"10.1093/ijpp/riag021","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Delivering efficient and fair pharmacy services depends on embedding principles of equity, diversity, and inclusivity (EDI). The aim of this scoping review is to identify and synthesize what is currently known about EDI of pharmacy services and identify the research gaps in this area.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The review followed the York framework by Arksey and O'Malley. Comprehensive searches of Medline, EMBASE, Global Health, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, CINAHL Plus, Google Scholar, and Science Direct were conducted from database inception to 15 February 2024, with an updated search on 15 June 2025. Search terms combined EDI and pharmacy concepts in all languages. After duplicate removal, the study reviewers screened titles, abstracts, and full texts. Data were extracted from eligible studies and synthesized thematically.</p><p><strong>Key findings: </strong>Of 916 records identified, 27 met the inclusion criteria. The studys' findings indicated that community pharmacists were widely perceived as accessible, supportive, and cooperative providers. Nonetheless, patients from diverse backgrounds reported barriers in accessing pharmacy services. Suggested strategies to address this included recruitment of multilingual and diverse pharmacy staff to enhance accessibility. Pharmacists themselves reported difficulties in delivering inclusive services due to insufficient policy and administrative support, particularly regarding facilities, personnel, finances, and other resources required for quality care. Notably, no interventional studies evaluating EDI initiatives in pharmacy practice were identified.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This review underscores the need to design and evaluate interventions promoting EDI in pharmacy services. Addressing structural barriers and implementing inclusive workforce and policy initiatives may improve patient access, strengthen pharmacy practice, and contribute to reducing health inequities.</p><p><strong>Study protocol: </strong>The study protocol was registered with Open Science Framework (Registration DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/ZB2XG).</p><p><strong>Ethics and dissemination: </strong>No primary data were collected or analyzed for this review, therefore ethics approval was not required.</p>","PeriodicalId":14284,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Pharmacy Practice","volume":" ","pages":"522-534"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5000,"publicationDate":"2026-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"International Journal of Pharmacy Practice","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1093/ijpp/riag021","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"PHARMACOLOGY & PHARMACY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objectives: Delivering efficient and fair pharmacy services depends on embedding principles of equity, diversity, and inclusivity (EDI). The aim of this scoping review is to identify and synthesize what is currently known about EDI of pharmacy services and identify the research gaps in this area.
Methods: The review followed the York framework by Arksey and O'Malley. Comprehensive searches of Medline, EMBASE, Global Health, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, CINAHL Plus, Google Scholar, and Science Direct were conducted from database inception to 15 February 2024, with an updated search on 15 June 2025. Search terms combined EDI and pharmacy concepts in all languages. After duplicate removal, the study reviewers screened titles, abstracts, and full texts. Data were extracted from eligible studies and synthesized thematically.
Key findings: Of 916 records identified, 27 met the inclusion criteria. The studys' findings indicated that community pharmacists were widely perceived as accessible, supportive, and cooperative providers. Nonetheless, patients from diverse backgrounds reported barriers in accessing pharmacy services. Suggested strategies to address this included recruitment of multilingual and diverse pharmacy staff to enhance accessibility. Pharmacists themselves reported difficulties in delivering inclusive services due to insufficient policy and administrative support, particularly regarding facilities, personnel, finances, and other resources required for quality care. Notably, no interventional studies evaluating EDI initiatives in pharmacy practice were identified.
Conclusions: This review underscores the need to design and evaluate interventions promoting EDI in pharmacy services. Addressing structural barriers and implementing inclusive workforce and policy initiatives may improve patient access, strengthen pharmacy practice, and contribute to reducing health inequities.
Study protocol: The study protocol was registered with Open Science Framework (Registration DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/ZB2XG).
Ethics and dissemination: No primary data were collected or analyzed for this review, therefore ethics approval was not required.
期刊介绍：
The International Journal of Pharmacy Practice (IJPP) is a Medline-indexed, peer reviewed, international journal. It is one of the leading journals publishing health services research in the context of pharmacy, pharmaceutical care, medicines and medicines management. Regular sections in the journal include, editorials, literature reviews, original research, personal opinion and short communications. Topics covered include: medicines utilisation, medicine management, medicines distribution, supply and administration, pharmaceutical services, professional and patient/lay perspectives, public health (including, e.g. health promotion, needs assessment, health protection) evidence based practice, pharmacy education. Methods include both evaluative and exploratory work including, randomised controlled trials, surveys, epidemiological approaches, case studies, observational studies, and qualitative methods such as interviews and focus groups. Application of methods drawn from other disciplines e.g. psychology, health economics, morbidity are especially welcome as are developments of new methodologies.
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