Community pharmacists' attitude toward depression: a pilot study

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Practice
• Mental Health Research
• Social Pharmacy

Background:

• Depression is the most prevalent mental illness, with pharmacists potentially playing a larger role in care.
• Understanding pharmacists' attitudes toward depression is crucial as it impacts service provision and patient stigmatization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To pilot an exploration of community pharmacists' attitudes toward depression.
• To identify components of these attitudes and related influencing factors.

Main Methods:

• A modified Depression Attitude Questionnaire (DAQ) was administered to 200 community pharmacists in Belgium.
• The survey assessed various aspects of attitudes towards depression and its care.

Main Results:

• Pharmacists' overall attitude toward depression was generally favorable, with nuances in treatment opinions.
• Four attitude components were identified: treatment, course, pharmacist's role, and patient perception.
• Older pharmacists and those with pessimistic views on depression's course showed more negative attitudes towards patients with depression.

Conclusions:

• The generally positive community pharmacist attitude towards depression is a promising foundation for enhanced care.
• Further training, ideally involving patients with depression, is necessary to refine attitudes.
• Continued work is needed to validate and improve the adapted DAQ for pharmacists.