Pharmacy-Based Public Health Initiatives

Abstract

Both the general population's and pharmacists' behavior will need to change in order for pharmacists to become more involved in public health. Numerous studies have demonstrated the significance of attitudes and beliefs as drivers of behavior. In order to determine the most effective ways to support and enhance this service, this review attempts to investigate the attitudes and beliefs that consumers and pharmacists have toward pharmaceutical public health. A major element of many public health programs (PHPs) is the use of medications. The ability of medicines to cure and prevent illness is not the sole reason they are significant. The public's trust in the availability of safe and effective medications as well as the policies assuring their responsible use is inextricably related to their faith in the healthcare system. Nonetheless, the majority of public health initiatives in underdeveloped nations pay little to no attention to the pharmacy services component. The last fifteen years have seen a transformation in pharmacy practice that has increased public health access. A variety of public health services are increasingly offered by community pharmacists, showing potential gains in health outcomes and access. The observed changes in practice draw our attention to systemic problems that still require our collective attention. In order to maximize the impact on public health from this system shift, we must prioritize the pharmacy-public health collaboration and develop cooperative policy and research agendas as we fortify our intersectoral public health system.