Analyzing pharmacist representation in public-facing health media: Insights and implications.
Community pharmacist
Community pharmacy
Consumer attitude
Marketing
Representation
Journal
Research in social & administrative pharmacy : RSAP
ISSN: 1934-8150
Titre abrégé: Res Social Adm Pharm
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 101231974
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
18 Dec 2023
18 Dec 2023
Historique:
received:
18
10
2023
revised:
27
11
2023
accepted:
15
12
2023
medline:
22
12
2023
pubmed:
22
12
2023
entrez:
21
12
2023
Statut:
aheadofprint
Résumé
Despite the importance of marketing for community pharmacies, evidence on its effectiveness in influencing consumer behavior and the added value for pharmacies remains limited. This study explores the representation of pharmacists in consumer-facing print media used for consumer marketing. The aim of this study is to analyze professional representation, especially of community pharmacists alongside other health professionals, in health-related public-facing print media, and to explore and further develop the use of novel, consumer facing data sources in a healthcare research context. An exploratory qualitative content analysis of a sample of issues from a leading consumer-facing healthcare print magazine was conducted. Of 565 extracted text passages, 328 were retained for analysis and coded using a coding scheme focused on described professional role, type of content, depth of voice, and demographics. Physicians (42 %) and researchers (19 %) were the largest professional groups to be directly cited in print media texts while pharmacists provided 14 % of all direct quotations. Nurses were identified as sources in 1 % of texts. Male professionals were quoted almost twice as frequently as their female counterparts. Images accompanying texts were more gender balanced but did not reflect workforce demographics. The comparative lack of pharmacist representation in marketing print magazines suggests a missed opportunity both as a marketing tool and for educating the public about community pharmacist expertise. There is a need to harness the potential of print media, especially those financed by and distributed in community pharmacies, to improve public perception and visibility of pharmacists, and to inform the public about the evolving roles of pharmacists in the healthcare ecosystem. Further research should explore pharmacist representations in different types of news media to better understand the impacts on public perception of pharmacists internationally.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Despite the importance of marketing for community pharmacies, evidence on its effectiveness in influencing consumer behavior and the added value for pharmacies remains limited. This study explores the representation of pharmacists in consumer-facing print media used for consumer marketing.
OBJECTIVE
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study is to analyze professional representation, especially of community pharmacists alongside other health professionals, in health-related public-facing print media, and to explore and further develop the use of novel, consumer facing data sources in a healthcare research context.
METHODS
METHODS
An exploratory qualitative content analysis of a sample of issues from a leading consumer-facing healthcare print magazine was conducted. Of 565 extracted text passages, 328 were retained for analysis and coded using a coding scheme focused on described professional role, type of content, depth of voice, and demographics.
RESULTS
RESULTS
Physicians (42 %) and researchers (19 %) were the largest professional groups to be directly cited in print media texts while pharmacists provided 14 % of all direct quotations. Nurses were identified as sources in 1 % of texts. Male professionals were quoted almost twice as frequently as their female counterparts. Images accompanying texts were more gender balanced but did not reflect workforce demographics.
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSIONS
The comparative lack of pharmacist representation in marketing print magazines suggests a missed opportunity both as a marketing tool and for educating the public about community pharmacist expertise. There is a need to harness the potential of print media, especially those financed by and distributed in community pharmacies, to improve public perception and visibility of pharmacists, and to inform the public about the evolving roles of pharmacists in the healthcare ecosystem. Further research should explore pharmacist representations in different types of news media to better understand the impacts on public perception of pharmacists internationally.
Identifiants
pubmed: 38129221
pii: S1551-7411(23)00499-0
doi: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2023.12.007
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.