A review of factors that influence the use of community pharmacies as a primary health care resource

This review paper provides an analysis of a range of pharmacy practice, health services and sociological literature relevant to understanding how the public in the United Kingdom use and view community pharmacies as a primary health care resource. Papers published between 1980 and 1997 inclusive were identified, based on on-line searches of databases, and hand searches of a published literature index, relevant journals, and bibliographies of published papers. Papers included in the review are those which report findings on any aspect of consumers' views and use of community pharmacies. No attempt is made to evaluate the adequacy of the findings since the level of reporting in most short papers does not allow for this type of evaluation. Instead, the review paper 'maps out' what is currently known about pharmacy utilisation. Key variables that have been used to explain pharmacy use, including a number of demographic and organisational factors, are identified, as well as factors associated with need and demand issues. The paper summarises the main empirical findings, and provides a view of where further work could add to a greater understanding of the relationship between the delivery of pharmaceutical services and primary health care. Potential strategies that could positively influence consumer demand for community pharmacy services are discussed.