A survey of pharmacists' perceptions of the adequacy of their training for addressing mental health-related medication issues

Abstract

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to conduct a survey of North Carolina pharmacists' perceptions of their pharmacy training in mental health-related medication issues and how this influenced their perceived ability to address these issues in the provision of pharmaceutical care to their patients. Methods: A survey consisting of 17 questions was developed and emailed to licensed pharmacists in North Carolina. Surveys that were returned were analyzed to see if conclusions could be made regarding the pharmacists' perceptions about their mental health-related medication training and its influence on their practice. Results: A total of 848 pharmacists completed the survey (response rate of 7.9%). Of the survey participants, 489 (58.2%) reported that pharmacy school training adequately prepared them to provide basic pharmaceutical care to patients taking mental health-related medications. However, 350 (41.4%) reported feeling less comfortable providing medication counseling for mental health-related medications compared to cardiac medications. Discussion: Despite the volume of prescriptions that mental health-related medications represent in day-to-day practice, a significant portion of licensed pharmacists responding to our survey indicate that the emphasis on mental health in their training may have been inadequate.