Utilizing social and behavioral change methods in clinical pharmacy initiatives

Abstract

AbstractPharmacists are often involved in creating, implementing, and evaluating initiatives that aim to improve medication use. Pharmacy initiatives can occur in various settings, can involve interactions with patients or prescribers to optimize medication use, and incorporate information from multiple sources. Similar to pharmacy initiatives, public health initiatives are heterogeneous, complex, and work with the public to improve health behaviors in a variety of settings. Various program planning and health behavior change techniques are utilized in the planning of public health programs. Community‐based public health programs designed using social and behavioral theories have shown improved outcomes when compared with programs not based on theory. Given the overlapping objectives for planning community‐based public health programs and pharmacy initiatives, the use of social and behavioral theories may provide pharmacists with an additional tool to assist in creation of multi‐layered, effective pharmacy initiatives. Data supporting two health behavior theories focused on individuals (Transtheoretical Model and Health Belief Model), and one ecological model (Social Ecological Model) are reviewed and applied to three different pharmacy initiative scenarios. Greater incorporation of behavioral change theories and models may be helpful in creating effective, comprehensive pharmacy initiatives.