Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy最新文献

{"title":"Stakeholder feedback regarding a statewide protocol for pharmacists to prescribe tobacco cessation medications","authors":"Lindsey Votaw ,&nbsp;Karen Suchanek Hudmon ,&nbsp;Tiffany R. Shin ,&nbsp;Elizabeth Ablah","doi":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100650","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100650","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Smoking contributes to negative clinical and economic outcomes in the United States, yet most adults who smoke and report wanting to quit do not access counseling or use medications to assist cessation. In rural states, such as Kansas, access to evidence-based tobacco treatment is more challenging, and most quit attempts go unassisted. Although legislation introducing a statewide policy for pharmacists to prescribe all FDA-approved tobacco cessation medications has been implemented in other states, it is unknown if such legislation would be supported in Kansas.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>The objective of this study was to characterize stakeholder perceptions of model language for a statewide policy permitting pharmacists to prescribe medications for tobacco cessation in Kansas.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A cross-sectional survey was administered to tobacco control stakeholders, who were asked to review the Indiana Statewide Protocol for Dispensing Tobacco Cessation Products by Pharmacists and provide feedback on each section, via a web-based survey. Associations, insurance carriers, governmental entities, and community pharmacies were approached for recruitment. Collected data were analyzed to identify sections receiving support and to summarize feedback for recommendations to modify the protocol language.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Fifteen surveys (34 %) were completed, representing various stakeholder organizations and community pharmacies in Kansas. Sections receiving the most feedback include the introduction, purpose, pharmacist qualifications, products covered, health screening, and referral of high-risk patients.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Findings suggest that most tobacco control stakeholders in Kansas will be supportive of a statewide protocol for pharmacists to independently prescribe tobacco cessation products. Sections will be modified, based on respondents' feedback, to create a revised protocol that will be mutually acceptable to all stakeholders.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":73003,"journal":{"name":"Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 100650"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144925856","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of pharmacist-led chemotherapy counseling on health-related quality of life and psychological outcomes of oncology patients in cancer hospital: A single center, open-label, randomized controlled trial","authors":"Barsha Poudel ,&nbsp;Sabina Sankhi ,&nbsp;Nabin Pathak ,&nbsp;Bijaya Basyal ,&nbsp;Shishir Paudel ,&nbsp;Nirmal Raj Marasine","doi":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100649","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100649","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Chemotherapy often imposes significant psychological distress and impairs the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of oncology patients. This study aimed to assess the impact of pharmacist-led chemotherapy counseling on HRQoL and psychological outcomes among oncology patients in a cancer hospital in Nepal.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A single-blind, randomized controlled trial was conducted from December 2022 to July 2023 among 128 patients receiving chemotherapy. Patients were randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to a control group (usual care) or an intervention group (pharmacist-led counseling plus usual care). The intervention comprised a structured 20–25 min face-to-face counseling session and an educational leaflet addressing cancer, chemotherapy, psychological aspects, and lifestyle modifications. Primary outcomes—anxiety (GAD-7), depression (PHQ-9), and HRQoL (EQ-5D-3L)—were measured at baseline and three months post-intervention. For GAD-7 and PHQ-9, lower scores indicate fewer symptoms; for EQ-5D-3L, higher scores reflect poorer quality of life. Data were analyzed using an intention-to-treat approach and a generalized estimating equation (GEE) model.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The intervention group demonstrated significant improvements in anxiety (GAD-7: 13.57 ± 4.08 to 10.90 ± 3.79; <em>p</em> &lt; 0.001), depression (PHQ-9: 17.71 ± 4.57 to 13.50 ± 4.17; p &lt; 0.001), and HRQoL (EQ-5D-3L: 11.82 ± 3.41 to 9.85 ± 2.51; p &lt; 0.001) at three months. The control group showed no significant changes in GAD-7 or EQ-5D-3L scores, but a small increase in PHQ-9 scores was observed. Adjusted GEE analyses confirmed significant reductions in anxiety and depression symptoms, as well as improvements in HRQoL for the intervention group compared with the control group.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Pharmacist-led chemotherapy counseling significantly improved psychological well-being and HRQoL among oncology patients, highlighting the valuable role of pharmacists in comprehensive cancer care, especially in low-resource settings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":73003,"journal":{"name":"Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 100649"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144932706","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"“We throw away an incredible amount of unused medicines“: Community pharmacy staff perspectives on environmental responsibility","authors":"Johanna Villén ,&nbsp;Nicole Ljungdahl ,&nbsp;Björn Wettermark ,&nbsp;Helle Håkonsen ,&nbsp;Marmar Nekoro ,&nbsp;Sofia Kälvemark Sporrong","doi":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100662","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100662","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Pharmaceutical pollution is an increasing environmental concern. As key actors in the healthcare chain, community pharmacies play an important role in managing pharmaceuticals from an environmental perspective. Although environmental initiatives exist at the corporate level in Sweden, it remains unclear how well these are known to, or implemented by, pharmacy staff.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>To explore how community pharmacy staff in Sweden perceive their role in reducing pharmaceutical pollution, and identify the opportunities and challenges they face in promoting environmentally friendly use of pharmaceuticals.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Focus group discussions and individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with pharmacy staff in Sweden between May 2024 and February 2025. All focus group discussions and interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and analysed using inductive qualitative content analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Four focus group discussions and five individual interviews were conducted. The analysis resulted in three main categories. First, while there was an awareness of environmental issues, participants expressed a lack of concrete guidance and requested more information, such as lists of environmentally harmful pharmaceuticals. Second, pharmaceutical waste, originating both from households and pharmacies, was highlighted as a major concern. Third, there appeared to be a sense of limited agency and a wish for support from, for example, regulatory authorities to address pharmaceutical pollution.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Swedish pharmacy staff view themselves as potential contributors to reducing pharmaceutical pollution, but struggle to identify concrete actions. They are concerned about pharmaceutical waste and responsibility is often shifted to other stakeholders.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":73003,"journal":{"name":"Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 100662"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145218978","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Environmentally friendly inhaler decision-making with personalized care in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a qualitative study","authors":"Claire D. Visser ,&nbsp;Alan Sulaiman ,&nbsp;Narrin Bakr ,&nbsp;Henk-Jan Guchelaar ,&nbsp;Martina Teichert","doi":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100651","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100651","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Green behavioral shifts in prescribing habits, device selection and patient counseling have been proposed to deliver low-carbon sustainable healthcare, including the transition from pressurized metered-dose inhalers (pMDIs) to propellant-free inhalers.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study explores the extent to which healthcare professionals (HCPs) and patients can factor the environmental impact into inhaler decision-making with personalized care in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>An exploratory qualitative study was conducted involving seven focus groups and one semi-structured interview with 22 participants consisting of general practitioners, community pharmacists, pulmonologists, assistants and patients. Data was analyzed deductively to identify challenges and facilitators related to capability, opportunity and motivation; and inductively for actions to foster environmentally conscious behavior.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Overall, participants felt a moral responsibility and were willing to opt for environmentally friendly inhaler initiatives including a shift from pMDIs to dry-powder inhalers (DPIs), if clinically appropriate and performed as outcome of shared decision-making. Collaboration between researchers and relevant stakeholders was required to strengthen their capacity to advance in this area. Proposed strategies covered five areas: (1) communication, education and awareness; (2) appropriate inhaler prescribing; (3) promotion of smarter inhaler choices; (4) optimization of quality of care; and (5) appropriate inhaler disposal.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>These findings guide the delivery of a range of opportunities to improve quality of care while simultaneously reduce carbon footprint. This requires a multifactorial and interdisciplinary approach with HCPs playing a central role in engaging and educating patients to determine the viability of environmentally friendly alternatives, promote correct inhaler use and appropriate disposal.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":73003,"journal":{"name":"Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 100651"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145019013","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unmet information needs and knowledge gaps in cancer patients undergoing oral anticancer therapy","authors":"Anna K. Moritz ,&nbsp;Wolfgang Fehrmann ,&nbsp;Markus K. Schuler ,&nbsp;Stephanie Stock ,&nbsp;Ulrich Jaehde ,&nbsp;Nicole Ernstmann","doi":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100678","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100678","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The increasing use of oral anticancer therapy (OAT) requires self-management skills from cancer patients. Adequate information and counseling, as well as medication literacy, are key elements of safe and successful therapy in the patient's home.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>The aim of the study was to identify unmet information needs and knowledge gaps of cancer patients regarding their therapy with OAT.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Semi-structured, guideline-based interviews with cancer patients undergoing OAT were conducted, recorded and professionally transcribed. The transcripts were analysed using qualitative content analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 21 interviews were conducted. Fifteen of the interviewees were female, the median age was 69.6 years. Patients with solid tumours as well as those with blood cancers were interviewed. In the interviews, experiences were reported with various classes of OATs (chemotherapy; anti-hormonal therapy; targeted therapy). The following themes were identified: 1) Therapy-related information needs; 2) No information received; 3) No awareness for information needs; 4) No need for more information; 5) Therapy-related knowledge gaps; 6) Potentially inadequate knowledge. Deficits were identified in relation to correct use, possible interactions, and dealing with adverse events. Individual patients also report actively avoiding information.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The identified information needs and knowledge gaps of patients undergoing OAT highlight the need to optimize information and counseling in order to ensure treatment safety and success. In addition to providing knowledge, the self-management skills of patients should also be specifically strengthened. Furthermore, improvements to the structural framework in the outpatient setting are necessary, particularly with regard to the availability of counseling services. The results can be used as a basis for the development of specific interprofessional educational interventions for those affected.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":73003,"journal":{"name":"Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 100678"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145465617","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A qualitative exploration of pharmacists' roles in centralised vaccination centres during the COVID-19 pandemic","authors":"Jessica Bennett ,&nbsp;Aoife Clabby ,&nbsp;James W. Barlow ,&nbsp;Theo Ryan ,&nbsp;Muriel Pate ,&nbsp;Joan Peppard ,&nbsp;Damon Gaffney ,&nbsp;Niamh Dillon ,&nbsp;Frank Moriarty ,&nbsp;Michelle Flood","doi":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100668","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100668","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>The COVID-19 pandemic prompted rapid implementation of public health interventions aimed at protecting population health. In Ireland, mass vaccination was integral to the national response. Pharmacists played key roles in the safe delivery of vaccines within centralised vaccination centres (CVCs), particularly medicines management and vaccine stewardship. This study aimed to explore pharmacists' motivations for taking on these roles, explore their experiences and identify how their learning may inform the future development of pharmacy practice and education in Ireland, with a view to strengthening preparedness for future public health emergencies.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A qualitative case study methodology design was employed, using semi-structured interviews for data collection. Fourteen pharmacists were recruited, with eleven included in the final analysis. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically.</div><div>Findings.</div><div>Three primary themes were developed from the data: (1) A Sense of Duty and Opportunity, (2) Navigating the Frontline: Challenges and Adaptation, and (3) Professional Growth and Future Directions. Pharmacists reported some challenges working in high-pressure, fast-changing, multidisciplinary environments. Their experiences highlighted the evolving scope of pharmacy practice and the unique contribution pharmacists can make within multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) in national-level public health responses.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Pharmacists' involvement in CVCs provided opportunities to develop and showcase their professional competencies in MDTs, notwithstanding challenges associated with the role. The findings also emphasise the importance of effective multidisciplinary teamwork and mutual respect among healthcare professionals. A continued focus on interprofessional learning and practice, alongside expansion and recognition of the pharmacists' roles, may enhance preparedness for future public health emergencies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":73003,"journal":{"name":"Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 100668"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145265320","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The role of community leaders on rational drug use literacy: A structural equation modeling","authors":"Thunpitcha Sakpirom ,&nbsp;Kusawadee Maluangnon ,&nbsp;Chaoncin Sooksriwong ,&nbsp;Apinya Ingard","doi":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100675","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100675","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Irrational drug use remains a global health challenge, particularly in underserved communities with limited healthcare access. In Thailand, despite the Rational Drug Use (RDU) initiative, problems such as antibiotic misuse and selfmedication persist. Rational Drug Use Literacy (RDUL)—the ability to access, understand, evaluate, and apply drug information—is vital for improving medication behaviors. While most efforts focus on health professionals, the role of community leaders has been less explored.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A cross-sectional study was conducted with 328 participants in Pathum Thani Province, including 168 community members and 160 community leaders selected through stratified random sampling. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and a validated RDUL tool. Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to assess direct and moderating effects of situational and socioenvironmental factors on RDUL.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Community leaders exhibited higher Rational Drug Use Literacy (RDUL) than community members (M = 41.90 vs. 39.48, <em>p</em> = .003), particularly in accessing, appraising, and applying drug information. Structural Equation Modeling revealed that both situational factors (β = 0.357, <em>p</em> &lt; .001) and socio-environmental factors (β = 0.168, <em>p</em> = .021) positively influenced RDUL, indicating that favorable circumstances and supportive environments enhance individuals' medication literacy. Importantly, leadership played a nuanced role: it diminished the influence of situational factors on RDUL (β = −0.634, <em>p</em> &lt; .001) while moderately amplifying the effect of socioenvironmental factors (β = 0.327, <em>p</em> = .058). These results highlight that community leaders not only enhance overall medication literacy but also alter how contextual factors contribute to informed drug use.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Community leaders play a complex but crucial role in shaping RDUL. While they strengthen certain literacy dimensions, their influence also alters contextual effects. RDUL strategies should leverage leaders as trusted figures while enhancing their capacity to promote informed medication use. Incorporating community leadership into health programs may increase the effectiveness and sustainability of RDU efforts in resource-limited settings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":73003,"journal":{"name":"Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 100675"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145415760","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Community pharmacy services and patient quality of life in Lebanon's socioeconomic crisis: Findings from the IMPHACT-LB study","authors":"Aline Hajj ,&nbsp;Marwan Akel ,&nbsp;Rony M. Zeenny ,&nbsp;Hala Sacre ,&nbsp;Chadia Haddad ,&nbsp;Jihan Safwan ,&nbsp;Fouad Sakr ,&nbsp;Pascale Salameh","doi":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100659","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100659","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>In crisis-affected settings like Lebanon, community pharmacists face mounting challenges in securing quality medications and supporting patient care. This study aims to explore the association between pharmacy services, pharmacist-patient relationships, and patient quality of life during Lebanon's ongoing socioeconomic collapse.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A cross-sectional study was conducted in April 2023, using an online convenience sampling. Validated tools, including the 5-Level EuroQol (EQ-5D-5L) and EQ visual analog scale (EQ-VAS), were used to assess quality of life among a sample of 865 Lebanese adults recruited via social media platforms. Due to the absence of a national census, random sampling was not feasible, limiting generalizability.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Higher EQ-VAS scores were significantly associated with better financial well-being (Beta = 0.18, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.001), high monthly income (Beta = 7.04, p &lt; 0.001), regular pharmacy visits (Beta = 3.06, <em>p</em> = 0.035), and perceiving pharmacists as medication counselors (Beta = 5.43; <em>p</em> = 0.003). Lower scores were associated with a higher number of chronic diseases (Beta = −2.66; p &lt; 0.001), obtaining chronic medications from the pharmacy (Beta = −6.20), frequent pharmacy visits for medical care or counseling (Beta = −7.00; p = 0.003), spending more than 10 min with the pharmacist for counseling about a medication and/or medical condition (Beta = −6.31).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This study uniquely quantifies the association between pharmacist-patient interactions and quality of life in a context of systemic disruption. While previous literature has acknowledged pharmacists' roles, our findings demonstrate that their perceived counseling function and continuity of care are independently associated with improved well-being, even after adjusting for socioeconomic and health-related factors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":73003,"journal":{"name":"Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 100659"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145218976","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparison of length of stay in community-acquired pneumonia patients who fit protocol for pharmacy driven de-escalation of ceftriaxone to standard of care","authors":"Brady Raab ,&nbsp;Faith Furst ,&nbsp;Katelyn Zumpf ,&nbsp;Tina Samson ,&nbsp;Timothy F. Murrey","doi":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100640","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100640","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><div>Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) represents a significant burden on healthcare systems, often necessitating prolonged hospital stays and substantial costs. Studies have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of early switching from intravenous (IV) to oral antibiotics in CAP, yet there remains underutilization of this practice, particularly for antibiotics with no bioequivalent analogs like ceftriaxone. This study evaluated the outcomes of pharmacy driven protocol to switch patients from IV to oral antibiotics in CAP.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This retrospective, multi-center, observational cohort study evaluated the impact of a pharmacy-led protocol for IV to oral de-escalation of ceftriaxone in CAP patients within a large healthcare system. A collaborative drug therapy management agreement enabled pharmacists to initiate de-escalation in eligible patients meeting pre-specified stability criteria.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Analysis of 2314 participants (pre-implementation <em>n</em> = 1735; post-implementation <em>n</em> = 579) revealed a modest but statistically significant reduction in length of stay (4.87 to 4.57 days, <em>p</em> = 0.0461) and duration of ceftriaxone therapy (3.24 to 2.77 days, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.01) post-implementation. Total antibiotic duration increased slightly post-implementation without statistical significance (12.7 to 13.3 days, <em>p</em> = 0.11), and there was no significant difference in all-cause 30-day readmission rates (<em>p</em> = 0.36).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>These findings underscore the potential benefits of pharmacist driven IV to oral de-escalation protocols in optimizing antibiotic and resource utilization in CAP management. Future prospective studies are needed to validate these findings and explore broader implementation strategies in diverse healthcare settings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":73003,"journal":{"name":"Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 100640"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144831194","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Does pharmacist–patient gender discordance influence medication guidance for gender-specific diseases?","authors":"Manato Nomi ,&nbsp;Ryota Kumaki ,&nbsp;Rieko Takehira ,&nbsp;Etsuko Arita ,&nbsp;Keiko Kishimoto","doi":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100642","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.rcsop.2025.100642","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>This study aimed to determine whether community pharmacists perceive barriers to providing medication guidance for gender-specific diseases and to clarify whether these perceived barriers are influenced by pharmacist and patient gender concordance or discordance.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A web-based survey was conducted with pharmacists from five pharmacy groups in Japan. The questionnaire evaluated pharmacists' hesitancy and uncertainty in knowledge using a 7-point Likert scale across 10 gender-specific and three nongender-specific diseases. Each disease was examined under conditions of gender concordance and discordance between a pharmacist and patient. Results were visualized using scatter plots, and the factors contributing to barriers were examined using multivariable logistic regression.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 1315 responses were obtained, including 696 from female pharmacists and 583 from male pharmacists. Among the 10 gender-specific diseases, 9 were in the first quadrant, indicating high hesitancy and uncertainty under gender discordance. However, some diseases exhibited high perceived barriers even under gender concordance. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that pharmacists' implicit assumptions, such as perceiving patients' unwillingness to receive guidance, significantly contributed to stronger perceived barriers. Furthermore, neither years of professional experience nor medication guidance frequency was associated with reduced barriers.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Community pharmacists perceived significant barriers to providing medication guidance for certain gender-specific diseases. These barriers existed in cases of gender discordance and concordance with patients. Pharmacists' experience alone is insufficient to reduce these perceptions, highlighting the need for educational interventions addressing implicit assumptions related to gender-specific care.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":73003,"journal":{"name":"Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 100642"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144831193","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}