Pharmacists' Behavioral Changes after Attending a Multi-Prefectural Palliative Care Education Program

Area of Science:

• Palliative Care Pharmacy
• Oncology Pharmacy Practice
• Continuing Professional Development

Background:

• Pharmacists play a crucial role in palliative care, particularly in symptom management for cancer patients.
• Effective pharmacotherapy and direct patient care are essential components of palliative oncology.
• There is a need to assess the impact of specialized education on pharmacists' practice in palliative care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate changes in pharmacists' behavior and practice related to palliative care following participation in an educational program.
• To determine the sustainability of behavioral changes over time.
• To provide evidence supporting the expansion of palliative care education for pharmacists.

Main Methods:

• A web-based questionnaire survey was administered to pharmacists.
• Pharmacists' palliative care behaviors were assessed before the program, and at two and eight months post-program.
• Statistical analysis was used to compare behavior scores over time.

Main Results:

• Pharmacists reported significantly higher palliative care behavior scores at both two and eight months after the educational program compared to baseline (p < 0.05).
• No significant differences in behavior scores were found between the two-month and eight-month follow-up points (p = 0.504-1.000).
• The acquired knowledge was applied to patient interventions for symptom management.

Conclusions:

• A palliative care educational program effectively improved and sustained pharmacists' practice behaviors.
• The program's positive outcomes suggest its potential for broader implementation in Japan.
• Pharmacist-led interventions are vital for optimizing symptom management in cancer palliative care.