How pharmacist-led health services are tailored to minoritized populations, their acceptability and effectiveness: A scoping literature review

Jess Lagaluga Hutchings; Corina Grey; Karen M Brewer; Trudi J Aspden

doi:10.1016/j.sapharm.2023.05.014

How pharmacist-led health services are tailored to minoritized populations, their acceptability and effectiveness: A scoping literature review

Res Social Adm Pharm. 2023 Sep;19(9):1256-1266. doi: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2023.05.014. Epub 2023 Jun 3.

Authors

Jess Lagaluga Hutchings¹, Corina Grey², Karen M Brewer³, Trudi J Aspden⁴

Affiliations

¹ School of Pharmacy, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand; Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 85 Park Road, Grafton, Auckland, New Zealand. Electronic address: Jess.hutchings@auckland.ac.nz.
² Pacific Health, Ministry of Health, Wellington, New Zealand.
³ Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 85 Park Road, Grafton, Auckland, New Zealand; School of Population Health, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
⁴ School of Pharmacy, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand; Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 85 Park Road, Grafton, Auckland, New Zealand.

PMID: 37301642
DOI: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2023.05.014

Abstract

Background: Worldwide, minoritized populations experience inequitable health risks and outcomes. The importance of offering tailored services to meet the specific needs of target populations should be addressed during service development. Within healthcare systems, pharmacists play a crucial role in supporting patients to manage their medicines and health conditions.

Objectives: This scoping review aims to identify, collate and analyse literature describing pharmacist-led services tailored for minoritized populations in order to strengthen the knowledge base and support for achieving health equity.

Methods: A scoping review was guided by the PRISMA-ScR checklist and the five-stage process outlined by Arksey and O'Malley. Medline, EMBASE, Scopus, CINAHL Plus, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, and Google Scholar databases, plus grey literature were searched to identify relevant studies published up to October 2022. Texts were included if they reported on a pharmacist-led health service tailored to meet the needs of a minoritized population. The review protocol was registered with the Open Science Framework (https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/E8B7D).

Results: Of the 566 records initially identified, 16 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility and 9 articles describing 6 unique services met the criteria and were included in the review. Three services were non-health-condition-specific, 2 targeted type two diabetes and 1 focussed on opioid dependency disorders. Service acceptability was consistently explored, and all services ensured that pharmacists' views were considered. However, only 4 consulted with the people from the group that the service targeted. Where reported, the effectiveness was not comprehensively evaluated.

Conclusion: There is limited literature in this area and a critical need for more evidence on the effectiveness of pharmacist-led services for minoritized populations. We need a better understanding of how pharmacists contribute to health equity pathways and how to expand this. Doing so will inform future services and contribute towards achieving equitable health outcomes.

Keywords: Co-design; Cultural safety; Health services; Healthy equity; Minority health; Pharmacist.

Publication types

Systematic Review
Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Delivery of Health Care / methods
Health Services*
Humans
Pharmacists*