Engaging community pharmacists in tuberculosis-directly observed treatment: a mixed-methods study

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Pharmacy Practice
• Implementation Science

Background:

• Tuberculosis eradication is a key public health priority in Malaysia.
• Community pharmacists are underutilized in current tuberculosis management strategies.
• Public-private mix (PPM) initiatives exist but can be further optimized.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of integrating community pharmacy-based tuberculosis-directly observed treatment (TB-DOT) services in Malaysia.
• To explore community pharmacists' perspectives on their role in TB management.
• To identify factors influencing the implementation of TB-DOT in community pharmacies.

Main Methods:

• A two-phase mixed-methods study conducted between March and October 2021.
• Online survey (n=388) based on the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR).
• Semi-structured interviews (n=23) to explore survey findings in depth, with data triangulation.

Main Results:

• A significant majority of community pharmacists (70.1%) expressed willingness to supervise TB-DOT.
• Qualitative data confirmed the perceived feasibility and benefits of community pharmacy-based TB-DOT.
• The intervention is seen as a way to improve TB outcomes and enhance pharmacists' professional roles.

Conclusions:

• Community pharmacy-based TB-DOT is a feasible strategy to enhance tuberculosis control in Malaysia.
• Successful implementation requires strong collaboration and support from the public healthcare sector.
• This initiative has the potential to strengthen the National TB Control Programme.