Perspectives of Rural and Non-Rural Community Pharmacists in Pediatric Dosing and Recommendations

Abstract

Objectives: To assess the perceived confidence level of community pharmacists in utilizing weight-based dosing, dispensing prescriptions, counseling, and recommending over-the-counter medications for the pediatric population in rural and non-rural settings. Methods: A 33-item questionnaire generated through REDCap was distributed to 11,280 pharmacists registered with the Arizona State Board of Pharmacy via email from March 14 to April 4 of 2017. The survey collected information on the participants’ experiences in managing pediatric prescriptions and demographics. Results: Of the 11,280 surveys distributed, a total of 857 responses were submitted by the end of the survey period (7.6%) and 482 responses were included in the analysis; 49 (10.2%) were practicing in rural areas and 433 (89.8%) were practicing in non-rural areas (including urban and suburban) in Arizona. There was no significant difference in the rural group compared to the non-rural group regarding experiences with dispensing pediatric medications. In regards to the confidence level, there was a significant difference between the two groups in calculating and recommending weight-based dosing for prescription and OTC pediatric medications (p = 0.022 and 0.031, respectively) and identifying a dosing error in pediatric prescriptions (p = 0.016). Conclusions: Community pharmacists practicing in rural and non-rural settings in Arizona had similar experiences with dispensing pediatric medications and confidence levels in managing medications for pediatric patients.