Researchers: Ilan Matok¹, Ron Kohen¹, Amichai Perlman¹

Background: In recent decades, the tasks of community pharmacists have expanded to include the advancement of patient care and public health. Many studies have demonstrated the benefits of using pharmacies to promote public health. Most of community pharmacists in Israel are primarily engaged in dispensing prescriptions. Considering their professional capabilities, and their significant accessibility and availability, community pharmacists can improve public response to a preventative public health measure such as colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. In view of the high incidence of CRC in Israel, the proven health benefits of screening, and the low response rates, we studied the use of community pharmacies to promote CRC screening.

Objectives: To examine the effectiveness of promoting CRC screening in community pharmacies, and to assess the attitudes of pharmacists to their role as purveyors of public health.

Method: "before/ after" design. Faecal Occult Blood test (FOBT) kits were distributed to community pharmacies that were recruited to the study from all across Israel. After 4 weeks we recorded the number of kits dispensed and an intervention was made. After an additional 4 weeks, the number of kits dispensed was again recorded. We also interviewed pharmacists from the pharmacies participating in the study to examine the pharmacists’ self-perception regarding their role in as public health promotors.

Findings: Thirty community pharmacies agreed to participate in our study. We found a statistically significant difference between the number of FOBT kits dispensed before the intervention and the number dispensed after the intervention. Most of the participating pharmacists expressed support for extending their role as promotors of public health.

Conclusions: Promoting CRC screening can be performed by community pharmacists.

Recommendations: This research provides insight into the potential of community pharmacies as centers for promotion of CRC screening. Pharmacists could contribute to public health as public health promotors.

Research end date: 08/2018