The effectiveness of pharmacist-based coaching in improving breast cancer-related health behaviors: A randomized...

Although pharmacists are trusted and easily accessible by the public, their role in changing health behaviours related to breast cancer has been rarely investigated.

To investigate the effectiveness of pharmacist-based coaching in improving BC-related health behaviors and knowledge in females, and to measure the comfort level toward this program.

This was a randomized controlled study carried out in community pharmacies in Egypt. Pharmacies included were asked to enroll 240 females into a trial, then equally allocate them into either active or control arms, and provide 12 weekly face-to-face coaching sessions to those assigned to the active arm. Pharmacists were also asked to survey females and fill a standardized data collection form at baseline, in the middle of coaching, at the end of coaching, and three months after coaching.

The proportions of doing high physical activity, practicing healthy diet, and practicing breast self-exam three months after the end of coaching programme across the active and control arms were 52.17% versus 17.09% (p=0.002), 62.60% versus 28.20% (p=0.003), and 81.73% versus 23.07% (p=0.005), respectively. The mean scores of knowledge on BC symptoms, risk factors, and detection methods three months after coaching across the active and control arms were 4.10±2.47 versus 2.72±1.19 (p=0.038), 4.25±2.20 versus 3.28±1.48 (p=0.020), and .34±1.80 versus 1.72±0.68 (p=0.001) respectively. While most of the females participated in the active arm were comfortable toward the financial 94.78% and social 88.69% sides of the program, more than one-third (34.78%) of the participants were uncomfortable toward the competency of coaches.

Despite the need for some modifications, BC-related health behaviors and knowledge can be improved through pharmacist-based health coaching.