Transcript Document
Development of a Cancer Screening and Education Tool for Community Pharmacists
Vu Nguyen, PharmD Candidate, Shay Bingham, PharmD Candidate, Robert Thompson, PharmD Candidate, Nana Akuffo, PharmD Candidate, Thao La, PharmD Candidate, Regan Healy, PharmD, BCOP
Roseman University of Health Sciences
INTRODUCTION
More than one million Americans are
1
diagnosed with cancer each year
• Studies have shown that many modifiable cancer risk factors
exist, and early detection with appropriate screening improves
the success rates of treatments1
• Promoting cancer awareness and providing education to the
public is a significant step in the fight against cancer
• Pharmacists have earned the public’s trust, and have proven to be
valuable and accessible health-care providers
Pharmacists have great potential to actively
intervene by employing cancer risk assessments,
educating on modifiable risk factors, and
encouraging appropriate cancer screening
INCLUSION/EXCLUSION CRITERIA
Inclusion Criteria
A licensed pharmacist by a state board in the US. Participant must
be currently practicing in a community pharmacy as part-time or
full time pharmacist
Exclusion Criteria
Community pharmacists unwilling to participate
METHODS (IRB approval pending)
Development of informational brochures on
Various types of cancer to be distributed at
health fair and later in project
Step 1
Public Perception
• A busy work environment is a substantial challenge for
community pharmacists to take initial steps in making this
intervention
• The project vision is to develop a convenient, easy-to-use tool for
community pharmacists to help assess patients risk factors and
make appropriate screening recommendations
http://get-ri.com/magazine/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/pink-ribbon-copy.jpg
OBJECTIVES
Primary
Improve community cancer awareness, education, screening
compliance, and patient outcomes by developing an easy-to-use,
time-efficient tool for community pharmacists
Secondary
Determine if perceptions of community pharmacists providing
cancer awareness/education change following the
implementation of the tool
Obtain > 100 opinion based responses from
individuals (> 40 years of age) at a public
health fair to the following question. “If you
were to pick up a prescription from a
pharmacy, would you find it beneficial and
valuable to spend a few minutes discussing
cancer risks and screenings with your
pharmacists?”
Answers collected: Yes, No, or Neutral
Step 2
Identify Subjects
Identify 100 pharmacists willing to participate
in steps 3-5.
Step 3
Pharmacist Perception
Obtain perception of 100 community
pharmacists within Utah utilizing the 2-minute
survey
Step 4
Tool Development
Develop an easy-to-use, time-efficient tool to
help pharmacist provide cancer education
tailored to the community pharmacy
Step 5
Implementation
Disperse the tool to the 100 community
pharmacists (including a training document yet
to be developed) for a 2-month trial period
Step 6
Change in Perception
Determine if the perceptions of the previously
identified 100 community pharmacists have
changed utilizing the same 2-minute survey
Step 7
Results
Analyze nominal variables using the chi-square
test, and normally distributed continuous
variables will be tested using the t-test
2-minute survey to evaluate the
Pharmacist
survey
questions
to
evaluate
willingness
pharmacist’s willingness and confidence
and confidence to provide such services
to provide services
1. When was the last time you attended an oncology
educational lecture?
2. How often do you dispense cancer-related medications in
your practice?
3. How often do patients ask you questions regarding cancer?
4. How often do you counsel patients about cancer
screenings or modifiable risk factors?
5. How motivated are you to assist patients in assessing their
cancer risk? (0 is no motivation, 10 is very motivated)
6. How confident are you at assisting patients in assessing
their cancer risk? (0 is no confidence, 10 is very confident)
7. Cancer screening and modifiable cancer risk factors
education can be incorporated into your workflow? (0 is
impossible , 10 is very possible)
8. What is the biggest obstacle when considering the
addition of cancer screening and modifiable cancer risk
factors education in your daily practice?
9. How can community pharmacists play a role or participate
in cancer services? (mark all that apply)
10. A cancer screening and educational tool developed for
community pharmacists would be beneficial. (0 is strongly
disagree and 10 is strongly agree)
RESULTS and CONCLUSIONS
Pending
DISCLOSURES
None of the individuals working on this project have anything to
disclose
REFERENCES
1. American Cancer Society. Learn about cancer [Internet].
Atlanta (GA): American Cancer Society, Inc. [cited 2013 Jul 1].
Available from: http://www.cancer.org/cancer/index