Analysis of primary prevention services for cardiovascular disease in Australia's community pharmacies

Objective: To analyse the prevalence and factors associated with the provision of primary preventive services for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Australia's community pharmacies. Methods: The data were from the 2002 Australia's National Pharmacy Database Project. Questionnaires were completed by a nationally representative 1,1 31 out of a possible 1,391 pharmacies (81.3% response rate), stratified into PhARIA (remoteness) zones. Preventive services for CVD were analysed by frequency of provision of services. Ordinal analysis and logistic regression analysis were used to ascertain predictors of services. Results: Most community pharmacies initiated nicotine replacement therapies, 58.1% provided blood pressure screening, 11.6% anthropometric tests and 7.6% blood cholesterol screening. Pharmacies in promotional groups, having high customer numbers, an enclosed counselling area, or forward pharmacy area, were significantly associated with providing preventive services for CVD. Conclusions and Implication: The configuration and size of Australia's community pharmacies were associated with providing primary preventive services for CVD. Key words: Cardiovascular diseases; preventive health services; pharmacy. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-6405.2007.00135.x