Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The rapid evolution of COVID-19 pandemic initially outpaced public and regulatory response. During these uncertain times in many health systems, community pharmacies remained open and become the first point of contact for local communities to seek for health-related advice. Given the rapid and unprecedented spread of the disease, little information is available on the impact of COVID-19 on provision of community pharmacies services in Malaysia. This study was designed to evaluate the business experience, psychological impact, challenges, and barriers faced by the community pharmacies during the pandemic.
METHODS & MATERIALS: A cross-sectional study was conducted between April 2021 to June 2021 among community pharmacists from all states in Malaysia. A total of 303 community pharmacists completed the questionnaires.
Results: The study reveals a significant reduction in daily sales transactions (p < 0.01), a decrease in customer visits, and shifts in sales trends and value-added services provided by community pharmacies during the pandemic. Pharmacies in shopping malls experienced an11.18 times reduction in customer visits compared to those in shop lots. Additionally, community pharmacies faced challenges like ensuring a stable supply of pharmaceutical and hygiene products, managing customer anxiety driven by pandemic-related panic, and navigating a competitive price war with online platforms. Community pharmacists with high anxiety levels were 35.33 times more likely to experience poor mental health during the pandemic, driven by increased workloads and concerns about their families' health due to public exposure.
CONCLUSION: There is a considerable impact of COVID-19 on the business experiences of community pharmacies, and community pharmacists have been facing challenges and barriers during COVID-19. These findings emphasize the need for integrating tele-pharmacy and other innovations to maintain business resilience and quality patientcare in future health crises.
METHODS & MATERIALS: A cross-sectional study was conducted between April 2021 to June 2021 among community pharmacists from all states in Malaysia. A total of 303 community pharmacists completed the questionnaires.
Results: The study reveals a significant reduction in daily sales transactions (p < 0.01), a decrease in customer visits, and shifts in sales trends and value-added services provided by community pharmacies during the pandemic. Pharmacies in shopping malls experienced an11.18 times reduction in customer visits compared to those in shop lots. Additionally, community pharmacies faced challenges like ensuring a stable supply of pharmaceutical and hygiene products, managing customer anxiety driven by pandemic-related panic, and navigating a competitive price war with online platforms. Community pharmacists with high anxiety levels were 35.33 times more likely to experience poor mental health during the pandemic, driven by increased workloads and concerns about their families' health due to public exposure.
CONCLUSION: There is a considerable impact of COVID-19 on the business experiences of community pharmacies, and community pharmacists have been facing challenges and barriers during COVID-19. These findings emphasize the need for integrating tele-pharmacy and other innovations to maintain business resilience and quality patientcare in future health crises.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages | 158 |
| Number of pages | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - 2024 |
| Event | Congress of the Federation of Asian Pharmaceutical Associations 2024 - Seoul, Korea, South Duration: 29 Oct 2024 → 2 Nov 2024 Conference number: 30th |
Conference
| Conference | Congress of the Federation of Asian Pharmaceutical Associations 2024 |
|---|---|
| Abbreviated title | FAPA 2024 |
| Country/Territory | Korea, South |
| City | Seoul |
| Period | 29/10/24 → 2/11/24 |
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