The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions of community pharmacists towards the concept of pharmaceutical care, implementing frequencies of pharmaceutical care, and barriers to implementation of pharmaceutical care in China. A 38-item self-completion pre-tested questionnaire was administered to a quota sample of 130 pharmacists in community pharmacies in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, northwest China in April 2008. Main outcome measures included understanding of pharmaceutical care; perceived frequency of pharmaceutical care activities; attitude towards pharmaceutical care; barriers to implementation of pharmaceutical care. A response rate of 77.7% (101/130) was achieved. The data were analysed descriptively. Factor analysis was used to explore potential barriers to the provision of pharmaceutical care. Respondents' understanding of the definition of pharmaceutical care was not entirely satisfactory: it was widely but incorrectly seen as a medication counselling service and many pharmacists appeared to misunderstand their role in the process. Respondents spent most of their work time performing prescription checks and providing patients with directions for drug administration, dosage, and precautions, but they tended to ignore health promotion within and outside of pharmacy settings. Factor analysis suggested four factors influencing the implementation of pharmaceutical care in the surveyed community pharmacies: lack of external conditions for developing or providing pharmaceutical care, lack of time and skills, absence of information and economic incentive, and lack of full support from other health professionals, with a cumulative variance of 64.7%. Cronbach's alpha for the four factors was 0.71, 0.72, 0.69 and 0.74, respectively. Although the respondent pharmacists had a certain degree of understanding of the definition, aim, function and use of pharmaceutical care, and carried out some activities currently, a range of barriers need to be overcome before comprehensive pharmaceutical care becomes a reality in China. These barriers could be overcome through participation in effective continuing educational programmes, availability of more resources, effective collaboration with other health professionals.

Higher professional title, having received training, mastering knowledge about reporting, and being a clinical pharmacist were positive predictors of pharmacist-led adverse drug reaction reporting. Lack of access to reporting forms was a negative predictor. Continuous training and establishing incentive mechanisms are needed to promote adverse drug reaction reporting among hospital pharmacists.

No abstract

No abstract

The institutions surveyed have established ADR monitoring systems. However, these systems have flaws. Urgent improvements are needed in funding, basic resources, reporting processes, and other pharmacovigilance activities.