pdf
Published
2023-01-03
Issue
Section
Pharmacy Practice & Practice-Based Research
Categories
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Paul Gavaza, Bhaktidevi M. Rawal, Elizabeth Johnston Taylor
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Copyright of content published in INNOVATIONS in pharmacy belongs to the author(s).
Perspectives about Spiritual Care in Pharmacy Practice: A Community-based Survey
Paul Gavaza
Loma Linda University School of Pharmacy
Bhaktidevi M. Rawal
Loma Linda University School of Pharmacy
Elizabeth Johnston Taylor
Loma Linda University School of Nursing
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24926/iip.v13i4.5098
Keywords: spirituality, religion, pharmacy, pharmacists
Abstract
Background: Addressing religious and spiritual needs are important components of holistic healthcare. Little is known about the general public’s perspectives about pharmacists providing spiritual care (SC).
Objectives: To explore how community members perceive, experience, and desire pharmacist-provided SC.
Method: IRB approval was obtained for this observational, cross-sectional study. Adults receiving COVID-19 vaccinations at an immunization clinic completed an investigator-designed 33-item online survey. The survey measured respondents’ perspectives about and experiences with pharmacist-provided SC, as well as demographic characteristics.
Results: Of the respondents (n = 261), 57% were female and 46% were Hispanic/Latino. Most (59%) agreed that their religion/spirituality would be important to them if they were ill; 64% also agreed that it would be helpful for a pharmacist to know about patients’ religious/spiritual beliefs pertaining to their healthcare, and 60% agreed that pharmacists should provide SC to patients who request it. While 96% indicated that they had never talked to a pharmacist about a spiritual or religious matter related to their health or medication, 96% also indicated that no pharmacist had asked to pray with them. These results are contextualized perhaps by the finding that 76% reported having no professional relationship with a pharmacist.
Conclusion: Respondents often reported an openness to receiving SC from pharmacists. Most respondents, however, had not received SC from a pharmacist. Future studies should be conducted to better understand patient preferences for pharmacist-provided SC.
