Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37354280›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of clinical pharmacy2023

Pharmacists' perspectives and attitudes towards the 2021 down-scheduling of melatonin in Australia using the Theoretical Domains Framework: a mixed-methods study.

Kingston W C M Yeung, Samantha K M Lee, Yu Sun Bin, Janet M Y Cheung

Open access · hybridAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of clinical pharmacy, 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
1.0field-weighted citation impact, top 23% of its field
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, 4 citations in OpenAlex.

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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

4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Kingston W C M YeungSydney Pharmacy School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Pharmacy and Bank Building (A15), Science Road, Camperdown Campus, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1813-9620
Samantha K M LeeSydney Pharmacy School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Pharmacy and Bank Building (A15), Science Road, Camperdown Campus, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7178-8139
Yu Sun BinNorthern Clinical School, Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4954-2658
Janet M Y CheungSydney Pharmacy School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Pharmacy and Bank Building (A15), Science Road, Camperdown Campus, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia. janet.cheung@sydney.edu.au.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6341-5594
The University of Sydney · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIn Australia, prescription melatonin became a 'Pharmacist Only Medicine' for people over 55 with insomnia from June 2021. However, little is known about pharmacists' views on melatonin down-scheduling and perceived impacts on practice.

aimTo explore Australian community pharmacists' views on and attitudes towards the down-scheduling of melatonin.

methodA convenience sample of community pharmacists and pharmacy interns were recruited. Participants completed a survey capturing demographic and professional practice details, and rated their knowledge, beliefs and attitudes towards melatonin. This was followed by an online semi-structured interview. Interviews were guided by a schedule of questions developed using the Theoretical Domains Framework and explored the perceived role of melatonin, preparation/response to down-scheduling, practice changes and patient interactions. Interviews continued until data saturation and were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using the Framework Approach.

resultsTwenty-four interviews were conducted with community pharmacists (n = 19) and intern pharmacists (n = 5), all practicing in metropolitan areas. Pharmacists/intern pharmacists welcomed the increased accessibility of melatonin for patients. However, pharmacists perceived a disconnect between the guidelines, supply protocols and pack sizes with practice, making it difficult to monitor patient use of melatonin. The miscommunication of eligibility also contributed to patient-pharmacist tension when supply was denied. Importantly, most participants indicated their interest in upskilling their knowledge in melatonin use in sleep, specifically formulation differences and dosage titration.

conclusionWhile pharmacists welcomed the down-scheduling of melatonin, several challenges were noted, contributing to pharmacist-patient tensions in practice. Findings highlight the need to refine and unify melatonin supply protocols and amend pack sizes to reflect guideline recommendations as well as better educating the public about the risk-benefits of melatonin.

Indexed as

Community Pharmacy ServicesMelatoninAttitude of Health PersonnelAustraliaHumansPharmacistsProfessional RoleMelatoninCommunity pharmacyContinuing pharmacy educationInsomniaMelatoninPharmaceutical schedulingPharmacy legislationPharmacy practiceQualitative research

Identifiers

PMID37354280
PMCPMC10600292
OpenAlexW4381930125

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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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.