Work

Health promotion, pharmaceutical training and public health: A scoping review on readiness and competencies in studies with students and professionals

Year: 2026

Type: review

Abstract: INTRODUCTION: Health promotion is a core pillar of contemporary public health and primary care, requiring health professionals to integrate clinical knowledge with an understanding of social determinants, communication for behavior change, and interprofessional collaboration. Pharmacists and pharmacy students are well positioned to contribute due to the wide accessibility of community pharmacies and frequent patient contact, yet important gaps remain regarding readiness, qualifications, competencies, motivation, perceived effectiveness, and perceived relevance of health promotion in pharmacy training and practice. OBJECTIVE: To map and summarize the recent literature on the readiness, qualifications, competencies, motivation, effectiveness and relevance of health promotion in the context of training and practice among pharmacists and pharmacy students. METHODS: A scoping review was conducted in accordance with the recommendations of the Joanna Briggs Institute and reported on the basis of the PRISMA-ScR using the PCC strategy. PARTICIPANTS: Pharmacy students and pharmacists; Concept: health promotion and related constructs; Context: pharmaceutical training and practice). Searches were performed in the PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and SciELO databases for the past five years, with descriptors and free terms related to "pharmacist*", "pharmacy student*", "health promotion", "competence *", "readiness" and "motivation". The selection and extraction were performed in pairs, and the findings were synthesized by descriptive thematic analysis. RESULTS: A total of 27 predominantly cross-sectional studies conducted in high-income countries were included. The studies converge in indicating high importance attributed to health promotion by pharmacists and students but only moderate levels of readiness and perceived skills. Competency frameworks in public health and advanced pharmaceutical practice are described, but their curricular and institutional incorporation is heterogeneous. Barriers such as work overload, dispensing-centered models and commercial pressure limit health promotion activities. CONCLUSION: This review highlights not only the strategic potential of pharmacies for health promotion but also the mismatch between normative expectations and actual training and work conditions. The findings support curriculum strengthening, continuing professional development, and health-system arrangements that enable pharmacists to contribute meaningfully to health promotion as part of broader public health strategies.

Source: Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning

DOI: 10.1016/j.cptl.2026.102614

Authors: Veronica Calvo Buzzi Leite, Sophia Ivantes Rodrigues, Leonardo Pestillo de Oliveira, Lucas França Garcia

Institution: Centro Universitário Cesumar

Language: English

Topic: Pharmacy and Medical Practices

Subfield: Pharmacy

Field: Health Professions

Domain: Health Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Quality education

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,150