Shifting social and cultural narratives in pharmacy education: a summative content analysis

Pharmacy education has experienced substantial changes in educational guidance, professional priorities, and the broader policy environment surrounding social and cultural topics. However, little is known about how these changes have been reflected in pharmacy education scholarship over time. The purpose of this study was to examine trends in the presence, terminology, and contexts in which social and cultural topics were represented in U.S. pharmacy education, as reflected in titles presented at the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy annual meetings.

A summative content analysis was conducted on titles from peer-reviewed research and education posters, school posters, and main conference programming at AACP Pharmacy Education meetings (2018-2025). Titles were analyzed to identify social and cultural content and characterize associated terminology and context codes, which were iteratively grouped into themes. Trend analyses included calculation of the proportion of relevant titles by year and format, as well as frequency analyses of terminology and context themes.

Of 4410 conference titles, the proportion addressing social and cultural topics ranged from a low of 5.41% in 2019 to a peak of 16.78% in 2022 before declining, while remaining above levels observed during the early years of the study period. Diversity-, equity-, inclusion-, and anti-racism-related terminology peaked in 2022 and declined thereafter, whereas references to culture, social determinants of health, and special or vulnerable populations remained consistently represented. Teaching or curricular interventions and campus climate were the most frequently identified context themes, although titles related to campus climate-related titles declined following their 2022 peak.

These findings provide a longitudinal perspective on the evolution of social and cultural discourse within U.S. pharmacy education.