Demographic Results.
Seventeen participants were interviewed including 12 pharmacists, 2 pharmacy technician and 3 pharmacy dispensers. All participants were working within a pharmacy and had a patient facing role which involved interactions with children of primary school age. Most (n = 16) participants were practising in England expect one participant from Scotland. The experience ranged from newly qualified to over 20 years in the industry. There was no participants who withdrew from the study.
Table 1 shows the demographic results.
Table 1
Demographic results of Pharmacy staff included in the study.
Initial | Gender | Job Role | Sector | Experience |
AA | Male | Pharmacist | Primary Care | 15–19 years |
AK | Female | Pharmacist | Community | 1–5 years |
AM | Female | Dispenser | Community | 20 + years |
DF | Male | Dispenser | Community | 6–10 years |
K | Female | Pharmacist | Primary care | 11–14 years |
LH | Male | Pharmacist | Community | 6–10 years |
MH | Female | Pharmacist | Community | 6–10 years |
NT | Male | Pharmacy technician | Primary care | 1–5 years |
RA | Female | Pharmacist | Community | 6–10 years |
RAH | Female | Pharmacist | Community | 11–14 years |
RM | Male | Pharmacist | Primary care | 15–19 years |
RP | Female | Pharmacist | Community | 20 + years |
SA | Female | Pharmacist | Hospital | 6–10 years |
SD | Female | Pharmacy Technician | Community | 15–19 years |
SP | Male | Dispenser | Community | 15–19 years |
T | Female | Pharmacist | Primary care | 11–14 years |
V | Male | Pharmacist | Community- Scotland | 20 + years |
Five overarching themes emerged from the analysis in relation to the aims of the study: Perceived gap in self-care and minor ailment education in school-aged children, Perceived positive impact of self-care and minor ailment education, Current health knowledge sources of children and parents, Barriers to self-care and minor ailment education, Potential role of pharmacists in school education.
Current health knowledge sources of children and parents
Participants had an agreed perception that social media and the internet appeared to play a key role in current health knowledge. Respondents felt that parents use these platforms for health-related information. It was emphasized that there is a need to understand the impact of social media on children's and parent’s health behaviours and the quality of information they receive, emphasizing the importance of promoting critical evaluation skills. Most participants thought that the NHS Choices website appeared to be widely used for health advice however some parents also use Google searches and can therefore attract unreliable sources of information once again highlighting the need to critically evaluate the reliability and accuracy of online sources.
“It depends on which websites you are using because you can find a lot of scare stories on Google and, but it has to be accredited websites and you know, like NHS websites and that you go to for that kind of advice I wouldn't recommend going just to any kind of website for him for advice.” AK community pharmacist, female.
When asked about where children gain health knowledge from; school, parents, and outside care facilitators were among the most reported common platforms. It was apparent that participants felt that there is the potential for schools to play a key role in promoting health literacy and fostering a culture of well-being among primary school children.
Respondents perceived that generally parents actively engaged in providing health-related information and guidance to their primary school-aged children. They felt that parents were able to act as influential figures in shaping children's health behaviours and the significance of collaborative efforts between parents and schools in promoting health education.
“I think so many children gain this type of knowledge regarding self-care from their parents because most of the time children spend time at home.” RP community pharmacist, female.
Some participants suggested that religious education may contribute to children's health knowledge. It signifies that religious teachings or practices incorporate elements of self-care or health-related information. An interviewee highlighted the potential role of religious education in promoting holistic well-being and instilling health-related values and practices among primary school children.
“Many children get this type of knowledge from religious education. To me, self-care is something where you have the knowledge to deal with it and you've got the confidence to deal with it, and you know when you do need help where you can ask for help. The potential role of religious education is very much involved.” RM community pharmacist, male
Perceived gap in self-care and minor ailment education in primary school-aged children
Participants expressed that in their experience there was a clear gap in self-care and minor ailment knowledge in families with children of primary school age. Interviewees reported that since the coronavirus pandemic there was an increased attendance at the community pharmacy for information and advice in relation to common illnesses in children. Interviewees described that parents often required reassurance for child illnesses. Respondents felt that if there was a child-friendly education program to teach parents and children how to manage self-limiting minor ailments it would reduce parent fear and empower them to self-care during a bout of illness.
“I'm not so sure there's very much information on how to recognize or treat specific illnesses, and I mean I certainly think we could warn children of some of the dangers of sepsis, meningitis that kind of thing in a very appropriate child-friendly way and but in terms of treatment, I think perhaps that's better aimed at parents.” Pharmacist SD, female
A small number of participants suggested that certain behavioural challenges, such as resistance, non-compliance, or lack of motivation, may contribute to the gap in self-care education. There was a recognition of the importance of understanding and addressing these behavioural issues to enhance the effectiveness of self-care education interventions.
Perceived positive impact of self-care and minor ailment education
Participants felt that self-care education would have a positive impact on promoting healthy living among primary school children. Interviewees suggested that through educational interventions, children are encouraged to adopt healthy lifestyle habits, such as proper nutrition, regular exercise, and good hygiene practices thereby instilling lifelong healthy behaviours.
The economic advantages of self-care education were also described by participants, and it was implied that there could be a potential decrease in healthcare expenditures by educating children with the information and abilities to self-care and manage minor illnesses. There was a strong emphasis by pharmacists on the financial benefits of encouraging self-care behaviours and cutting avoidable healthcare costs such as unnecessary over-the-counter treatment.
“Definitely empowering children with self-care knowledge and skills can lead to a noteworthy reduction in healthcare costs. Equipping them to address minor illnesses independently not only fosters personal well-being but also serves as a cost-effective strategy for our healthcare system. This underscores the significance of integrating comprehensive self-care education strategies into public health initiatives, ultimately leading to healthier communities and substantial savings." TM primary care pharmacist, male
Participants indicated that self-care education leads to a decrease in the number of calls and patient contacts with primary and secondary healthcare for minor ailments. Interviewees suggested that when people are better equipped to manage their health independently, this results in a reduced need for medical consultations. Respondents also proposed that self-care education can positively impact the doctor-patient relationship as when children possess knowledge and skills for self-care, they can engage in more meaningful and collaborative interactions with healthcare providers.
Patient empowerment and confidence were discussed by respondents as a direct impact of self-care education. Participants suggested that education fosters a sense of personal empowerment, enabling children to actively participate in their own health management thereby making informed choices and taking control of their health.
“Confident at that age to be able to deal with them, then they can only build on that confidence in the long-term and. then pass that confidence on to others around them all in I'm going to start I think that's the main benefit.” RA community pharmacist, male
Barriers in provision of self-care and minor ailment education
The main constraint that respondents felt would affect education within schools were political factors, such as policies or regulations, which may impact the availability or accessibility of educational resources. There was a concern that procedural barriers may be a challenge in introducing this type of educational initiative within schools. This then led to the lack of financial resources, and it was widely discussed that financial barriers would restrict the introduction of new materials and resources within pharmacies as well as within schools.
“Finances are obvious, isn't it? You know who sets that time aside who pays for who funds it. And then I imagine if I was a head of a middle school I'd be saying, if I have to; where do I slot that into my curriculum.” AM community pharmacist, male
Participants felt that cultural beliefs, traditions, and practices may hinder the acceptance of change within the community, as people have always turned to a healthcare professional for advice, there may be barriers within the community as they believe that health care advice should only be given by a professional and people should not have to self-care for themselves. Resistance from the community of reluctance to change perspectives and behaviours was also noted as a barrier.
Participants reported that busy routines may also be barriers, it was suggested that children have demanding schedules and commitments which will reduce the time that can be dedicated to gain self-care education. Interviewees suggested that schools may not have time to provide this education also.
A common view amongst interviewees was that a lack of knowledge in the community would hinder the education given to children, it was indicated that parents, as well as teachers, lack knowledge therefore limiting their ability to impede self-care knowledge and skills. Another barrier stated was inconsistent or fragmented health education efforts. It was suggested that sporadic or irregular delivery of educational materials or programs may limit children's self-education.
“Yeah, I think perhaps lack of knowledge is also the major barrier that we may face think it's how to teach them and what you can teach them at that age what would be acceptable to teach them if that makes sense, but how much knowledge to give them.” RA community pharmacist, male
Potential role of pharmacists in education
When asked about the role of pharmacy and pharmacists all respondents were unanimous in the view that there was a significant role that can be played by the pharmacy sector in providing education of self-care to schools and the wider community.
“Yeah, obviously the pharmacy sector plays a pivotal role in self-care education by serving as a trusted source of knowledge and guidance for individuals. Pharmacists are uniquely positioned to provide essential information on medication management, preventive health measures, and lifestyle choices. Their expertise empowers individuals to make informed decisions about their health, fostering a culture of responsible self-care” RAH community pharmacist, female
It was stated by most respondents that pharmacies can collaborate with the education sector and deliver education within schools or can train the teachers to be able to provide this education. Participants reported that the teachers are the experts in teaching and pharmacists are the healthcare professionals, therefore, a collaborative approach will work best.
“In the realm of self-care education, pharmacists can play a vital role by collaborating with schools. Pharmacy's collaboration with the education sector empowers us to either directly deliver education in schools or train teachers to effectively impart this knowledge. It's a collaborative effort that can shape a healthier future." RP community pharmacist, female
The interviewees were also strongly recommending the promotion of education within the community pharmacies, some respondents suggested that the healthy living sections of the pharmacy can be used to target self-care and minor ailment education to parents and school aged children. Other participants suggested that community pharmacies can run workshops in the pharmacy, school, or community centres to educate the local community.