Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Health Education and Promotion, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

2 Health Management and Economics Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Pharmacies are a major component of health systems and a major part of health service
provision. This study aimed at identifying and introducing the potentials of pharmacies
in health promotion. This was a systematic review that searched PubMed, Web of Science,
Science Direct, SID, Magiran, and IranMedex from February 1990 to September 2018 for
related materials. The main search keywords were (pharmacy services), (community
pharmacy services), (retail pharmacy services), (pharmacy practice intervention). Inclusion
was limited to those papers that discussed the health‑promoting services provided in
the pharmacies. The quality of included papers was assessed by the Critical Appraisal
Skills Program checklists. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and
Meta‑Analyses chart was followed in all stages of the study. Of the 4156 papers retrieved,
18 met the inclusion criteria and included in the analysis. Study findings were categorized
into three main categories: Health and prevention services, services related to treatments,
and the awareness about the pharmacies’ functions. The health and prevention category
consisted of education, vaccination, screening and prevention of diseases, family planning,
blood pressure monitoring, quitting smoking, limiting alcohol, and weight management. The
treatment‑related services consisted of adherence to medication, medication consultation,
minor pains, and emergency medical services. Pharmacies can provide a wide variety of
services besides the medications. Purposeful development of the services provided in the
pharmacies and involving them in an extended array of services may accelerate the health
promotion activities of the health system and result in improved quality of life and decreased
costs. To do so, the legal, educational‑skill, and pricing challenges should be resolved.

Keywords

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