Pharmacy students' perceptions on environmental sustainability in pharmacy education and practice.

Climate change New ecological paradigm Pharmacy education Pharmacy practice

Journal

Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy
ISSN: 2667-2766
Titre abrégé: Explor Res Clin Soc Pharm
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 9918266300706676

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
Dec 2023
Historique:
received: 15 09 2023
revised: 31 10 2023
accepted: 06 11 2023
medline: 4 12 2023
pubmed: 4 12 2023
entrez: 4 12 2023
Statut: epublish

Résumé

Given the negative environmental impacts of pharmaceuticals, including their contribution to healthcare's carbon footprint, pharmacists have a role in responding to the climate and biodiversity crises. Knowledge and education are required to support transitions to environmentally sustainable pharmacy practice (ESPP). The aim of this study was to explore Australian undergraduate pharmacy students' knowledge and attitudes towards environmental sustainability and ESPP curriculum content. Participants were surveyed using an anonymous online questionnaire deployed using Qualtrics. The questionnaire comprised of two main sections: the 15-item New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) scale to determine participants' environmental attitude score, and section on students' perceptions and curricular experience of environmentally sustainable practice which was adapted from previously published surveys. The invitation with survey link was disseminated via social media, Australian pharmacy student organisations, and direct approach. Quantitative data were reported descriptively. Qualitative data from responses to open-ended questions were analysed thematically using a reflexive, recursive approach. Incomplete survey responses were excluded from the analysis. Of the 164 complete responses, 99% had previously received information on environmental sustainability. However, only 10% were knowledgeable about ESPP and only 8.5% were aware of ESPP content in their pharmacy school curriculum. Importantly, 70% of respondents saw ESPP as relevant to their future pharmacy practice, and 94% believed the pharmacy profession has a responsibility to undertake sustainability initiatives in the delivery of pharmaceutical care. Australian pharmacy students lacked knowledge of ESPP and few reported having curricular exposure to ESPP content in their pharmacy degrees. Therefore, ESPP content is an important area for development in pharmacy curricula.

Sections du résumé

Background UNASSIGNED
Given the negative environmental impacts of pharmaceuticals, including their contribution to healthcare's carbon footprint, pharmacists have a role in responding to the climate and biodiversity crises. Knowledge and education are required to support transitions to environmentally sustainable pharmacy practice (ESPP). The aim of this study was to explore Australian undergraduate pharmacy students' knowledge and attitudes towards environmental sustainability and ESPP curriculum content.
Methods UNASSIGNED
Participants were surveyed using an anonymous online questionnaire deployed using Qualtrics. The questionnaire comprised of two main sections: the 15-item New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) scale to determine participants' environmental attitude score, and section on students' perceptions and curricular experience of environmentally sustainable practice which was adapted from previously published surveys. The invitation with survey link was disseminated via social media, Australian pharmacy student organisations, and direct approach. Quantitative data were reported descriptively. Qualitative data from responses to open-ended questions were analysed thematically using a reflexive, recursive approach. Incomplete survey responses were excluded from the analysis.
Results UNASSIGNED
Of the 164 complete responses, 99% had previously received information on environmental sustainability. However, only 10% were knowledgeable about ESPP and only 8.5% were aware of ESPP content in their pharmacy school curriculum. Importantly, 70% of respondents saw ESPP as relevant to their future pharmacy practice, and 94% believed the pharmacy profession has a responsibility to undertake sustainability initiatives in the delivery of pharmaceutical care.
Conclusions UNASSIGNED
Australian pharmacy students lacked knowledge of ESPP and few reported having curricular exposure to ESPP content in their pharmacy degrees. Therefore, ESPP content is an important area for development in pharmacy curricula.

Identifiants

pubmed: 38045651
doi: 10.1016/j.rcsop.2023.100366
pii: S2667-2766(23)00147-6
pmc: PMC10692703
doi:

Types de publication

Journal Article

Langues

eng

Pagination

100366

Informations de copyright

© 2023 The Author(s).

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

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Auteurs

Esa Y H Chen (EYH)

Centre for Health Economics, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.

Catherine Forrester (C)

Faculty of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.

Aisling M McEvoy (AM)

Faculty of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.

Judith Singleton (J)

Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.

Classifications MeSH