Diversity, equality, and inclusivity in pharmacy services: a scoping review

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Practice and Health Services Research
• Health Equity and Social Determinants of Health
• Inclusivity in Healthcare Delivery

Background:

• Efficient and equitable pharmacy services are essential for public health.
• Embedding principles of equity, diversity, and inclusivity (EDI) is fundamental to achieving fairness in healthcare.
• Understanding the current landscape of EDI in pharmacy services is critical for identifying gaps and guiding future research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review to identify and synthesize existing knowledge on equity, diversity, and inclusivity (EDI) in pharmacy services.
• To pinpoint research gaps within the domain of EDI in pharmacy services.
• To inform strategies for enhancing the fairness and accessibility of pharmacy care.

Main Methods:

• Adherence to the York framework by Arksey and O'Malley for the scoping review methodology.
• Extensive literature searches across multiple databases (Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL Plus, etc.) up to June 2025.
• Thematic synthesis of data extracted from 27 eligible studies following screening of 916 records.

Main Results:

• Community pharmacists are generally perceived as accessible, but patients from diverse backgrounds encounter barriers to service access.
• Recommendations include recruiting multilingual and diverse pharmacy staff to improve accessibility.
• Pharmacists report challenges in providing inclusive services due to inadequate policy, administrative, and resource support; no interventional studies were found.

Conclusions:

• There is a significant need for the design and evaluation of interventions aimed at promoting EDI within pharmacy services.
• Addressing structural barriers and implementing inclusive workforce and policy initiatives are key to improving patient access and reducing health inequities.
• Strengthening pharmacy practice through EDI principles can lead to more equitable health outcomes.