Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36038458›Full record

ArticleResearch in social & administrative pharmacy : RSAP2023

Increased self-reported pharmacist prescribing during the COVID-19 pandemic: Using the Theoretical Domains Framework to identify barriers and facilitators to prescribing.

Amy Grant, Liam Rowe, Natalie Kennie-Kaulbach, Andrea Bishop, Julia Kontak, Sam Stewart, Bobbi Morrison, Ingrid Sketris, Glenn Rodrigues, Laura V Minard and 6 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Research in social & administrative pharmacy : RSAP, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Primary health care research & development · 2026
    Article
  3. Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors.

Amy GrantMaritime SPOR SUPPORT Unit, Research, Innovation & Discovery Nova Scotia Health, 5790 University Ave., Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H1V7, Canada. Electronic address: AmyK.Grant@nshealth.ca.
Liam RoweMaritime SPOR SUPPORT Unit, Research, Innovation & Discovery Nova Scotia Health, 5790 University Ave., Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H1V7, Canada. Electronic address: liam.rowe24@gmail.com.
Natalie Kennie-KaulbachDalhousie University, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada. Electronic address: nkennie@dal.ca.
Andrea BishopNova Scotia College of Pharmacists, 1801 Hollis St, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3J 3N4, Canada. Electronic address: abishop@nspharmacists.ca.
Julia KontakMaritime SPOR SUPPORT Unit, Research, Innovation & Discovery Nova Scotia Health, 5790 University Ave., Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H1V7, Canada. Electronic address: julia.kontak@dal.ca.
Sam StewartDalhousie University, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada. Electronic address: sam.stewart@dal.ca.
Bobbi MorrisonSt. Francis Xavier University, 3090 Martha Drive, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, B2G 2W5, Canada. Electronic address: bmorriso@stfx.ca.
Ingrid SketrisNova Scotia College of Pharmacists, 1801 Hollis St, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3J 3N4, Canada. Electronic address: ingrid.sketris@dal.ca.
Glenn RodriguesPharmacy Association of Nova Scotia, 210-238A Brownlow Ave, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, B3B 2B4, Canada. Electronic address: glenn.rodrigues@dal.ca.
Laura V MinardNova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness, 1894 Barrington Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3J 2R8, Canada. Electronic address: LauraV.Minard@nshealth.ca.
Anne Marie WhelanDalhousie University, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada. Electronic address: anne.marie.whelan@dal.ca.
Lisa WoodillPharmacy Association of Nova Scotia, 210-238A Brownlow Ave, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, B3B 2B4, Canada. Electronic address: lisa@pans.ns.ca.
Elizabeth JeffersMaritime SPOR SUPPORT Unit, Research, Innovation & Discovery Nova Scotia Health, 5790 University Ave., Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H1V7, Canada. Electronic address: Elizabeth.Jeffers@nshealth.ca.
Judith FisherNova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness, 1894 Barrington Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3J 2R8, Canada. Electronic address: judithellenfisher@gmail.com.
Juanna RickettsMaritime SPOR SUPPORT Unit, Research, Innovation & Discovery Nova Scotia Health, 5790 University Ave., Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H1V7, Canada. Electronic address: juannaricketts@yahoo.com.
Jennifer E IsenorDalhousie University, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada. Electronic address: jennifer.isenor@dal.ca.

Funding

CIHR
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCommunity pharmacists are positioned to improve access to medications through their ever-expanding role as prescribers, with this role becoming more pronounced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

objectivesOur research aimed to determine the extent of self-reported pharmacist prescribing pre-COVID-19 and during the COVID-19 pandemic, to identify barriers and facilitators to pharmacist prescribing, and to explore the relationship between these factors and self-reported prescribing activity.

methodsA questionnaire based on the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDFv2) assessing self-reported prescribing was electronically distributed to all direct patient care pharmacists in NS (N = 1338) in July 2020. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to examine temporal differences in self-reported prescribing activity. TDFv2 responses were descriptively reported as positive (agree/strongly agree), neutral (uncertain), and negative (strongly disagree/disagree) based on the 5-point Likert scale assessing barriers and facilitators to prescribing from March 2020 onward (i.e., 'during' COVID-19). Simple logistic regression was used to measure the relationship between TDFv2 domain responses and self-reported prescribing activity.

resultsA total of 190 pharmacists (14.2%) completed the survey. Over 98% of respondents reported prescribing at least once per month in any of the approved prescribing categories, with renewals being the most common activity reported. Since the pandemic, activity in several categories of prescribing significantly increased, including diagnosis supported by protocol (29.0% vs. 58.9%, p < 0.01), minor and common ailments (25.3% vs 34.7%, p = 0.03), preventative medicine (22.1% vs. 33.2%, p < 0.01). Amongst the TDFv2 domains, Beliefs about Consequences domain had the largest influence on prescribing activity (OR = 3.13, 95% CI 1.41-6.97, p < 0.01), with Social Influences (OR = 2.85, 95% CI 1.42-5.70, p < 0.01) being the next most influential.

conclusionSelf-reported prescribing by direct patient care community pharmacists in Nova Scotia increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly for government-funded services. Key barriers to address, and facilitators to support pharmacist prescribing were identified and can be used to inform future interventions.

Indexed as

COVID-19PharmacistsAttitude of Health PersonnelDrug PrescriptionsHumansPandemicsProfessional RoleSelf ReportCOVID-19Delivery of health careHealth services accessibilityPharmacistsPrimary health careProfessional roleScope of practiceTheoretical domains framework version 2

Identifiers

PMID36038458
PMCPMC9392557

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.