The pharmacy gaze: bodies in pharmacy practice

Area of Science:

• Sociology of health and illness
• Pharmacy practice research
• Medical sociology

Background:

• The body is central to healthcare, yet its role in pharmacy practice remains underexplored.
• Sociological perspectives on the body have increased in health and social care, highlighting a gap in pharmacy research.
• Understanding how pharmacists perceive and manage the body is crucial for evolving practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how pharmacists construct and manage patient bodies in hospital and community settings.
• To introduce and define the concept of the 'pharmacy gaze' in understanding pharmacists' perspectives on the body.
• To analyze the role of complexity and algorithmic bodies within the pharmacy gaze.

Main Methods:

• Semi-structured interviews were conducted with hospital and community pharmacists.
• Qualitative data analysis was used to explore pharmacists' experiences and perceptions.
• The study draws on sociological theories of the body and practice.

Main Results:

• Pharmacists' expertise in medicines shapes their perception of patient bodies, termed the 'pharmacy gaze'.
• Complexity is a key concept, with 'algorithmic bodies' used to manage it.
• In hospitals, complexity focuses on a singular, rationalized body; in community settings, it arises from multiple interacting bodies.

Conclusions:

• The 'pharmacy gaze,' characterized by complexity and algorithmic bodies, is central to pharmacy practice in both hospital and community settings.
• Current UK health policy may expand the scope of body work for English pharmacists.
• Further research is needed to fully understand the implications of evolving health policy on pharmacy practice and the body.