‘When I tried to explain, they shouted back at me!’: exploring how community pharmacists navigate tensions implementing antimicrobial stewardship in Vietnam

Antimicrobial resistance is a major global and national health challenge, accelerated by ‘irrational’ antibiotic use. In response, Vietnam has been implementing a public health plan of antimicrobial stewardship since 2013 to reduce antibiotic sales in community pharmacies, although it has had limite...

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Main Authors: Duy Trinh Hoang, Shannon McKinn, Dorothy Drabarek, Thao Thu Trieu, Van Thuy Pham, Yen Ngoc Pham, Thai Hung Cao, Hung Mai Tran, Greg J. Fox, Thu-Anh Nguyen, Sarah Bernays
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2024-12-01
Series:Critical Public Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/09581596.2024.2303421
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author Duy Trinh Hoang
Shannon McKinn
Dorothy Drabarek
Thao Thu Trieu
Van Thuy Pham
Yen Ngoc Pham
Thai Hung Cao
Hung Mai Tran
Greg J. Fox
Thu-Anh Nguyen
Sarah Bernays
author_facet Duy Trinh Hoang
Shannon McKinn
Dorothy Drabarek
Thao Thu Trieu
Van Thuy Pham
Yen Ngoc Pham
Thai Hung Cao
Hung Mai Tran
Greg J. Fox
Thu-Anh Nguyen
Sarah Bernays
author_sort Duy Trinh Hoang
collection DOAJ
description Antimicrobial resistance is a major global and national health challenge, accelerated by ‘irrational’ antibiotic use. In response, Vietnam has been implementing a public health plan of antimicrobial stewardship since 2013 to reduce antibiotic sales in community pharmacies, although it has had limited effect. Given that private pharmacies are increasingly the entry point to access healthcare, reflective of the inhibited accessibility of primary healthcare, understanding how the positioning of community pharmacists shapes the delivery of antimicrobial stewardship plans warrant further investigation. This qualitative analysis draws on data from 24 in-depth interviews with licensed community pharmacists in Vietnam. Interviewees described being constrained in rationing the sale of antibiotics by tensions within their professional role, in which the delivery of antimicrobial stewardship within their public health commitments rubs up against commercial and social obligations to their livelihoods and communities respectively. The concept of ‘resistance’ provides insight into what obstructs the integration of national antimicrobial stewardship guidance and policy, hindering the transformation of local practices concerning antibiotic sales at the community level. Findings reveal opportunities to recast community pharmacists as ‘productive anchors’ who can facilitate the appropriate use of antibiotics and strengthen links to primary care within the local context. Structural changes are needed, however, so that people do not use antibiotics as a proxy for health care. Improving the accessibility of primary healthcare would also curtail the reliance on community pharmacists’ to dispense antibiotics as a local mechanism of financial protection and social care within community.
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publishDate 2024-12-01
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spelling doaj-art-7c28cb7b08f549189d9e551047a881402024-12-17T07:39:38ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCritical Public Health0958-15961469-36822024-12-0134111410.1080/09581596.2024.2303421‘When I tried to explain, they shouted back at me!’: exploring how community pharmacists navigate tensions implementing antimicrobial stewardship in VietnamDuy Trinh Hoang0Shannon McKinn1Dorothy Drabarek2Thao Thu Trieu3Van Thuy Pham4Yen Ngoc Pham5Thai Hung Cao6Hung Mai Tran7Greg J. Fox8Thu-Anh Nguyen9Sarah Bernays10Qualiative research, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Ha Noi, Viet NamSydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, AustraliaSydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, AustraliaQualiative research, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Ha Noi, Viet NamDepartment of Clinical Pharmacology, Hanoi University of Pharmacy, Ha Noi, Viet NamQualiative research, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Ha Noi, Viet NamDepartment of Medical Service Administration, Ministry of Health, Ha Noi, Viet NamDepartment of Planning and International Cooperation, National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Ha Noi, Viet NamQualiative research, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Ha Noi, Viet NamQualiative research, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Ha Noi, Viet NamSydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, AustraliaAntimicrobial resistance is a major global and national health challenge, accelerated by ‘irrational’ antibiotic use. In response, Vietnam has been implementing a public health plan of antimicrobial stewardship since 2013 to reduce antibiotic sales in community pharmacies, although it has had limited effect. Given that private pharmacies are increasingly the entry point to access healthcare, reflective of the inhibited accessibility of primary healthcare, understanding how the positioning of community pharmacists shapes the delivery of antimicrobial stewardship plans warrant further investigation. This qualitative analysis draws on data from 24 in-depth interviews with licensed community pharmacists in Vietnam. Interviewees described being constrained in rationing the sale of antibiotics by tensions within their professional role, in which the delivery of antimicrobial stewardship within their public health commitments rubs up against commercial and social obligations to their livelihoods and communities respectively. The concept of ‘resistance’ provides insight into what obstructs the integration of national antimicrobial stewardship guidance and policy, hindering the transformation of local practices concerning antibiotic sales at the community level. Findings reveal opportunities to recast community pharmacists as ‘productive anchors’ who can facilitate the appropriate use of antibiotics and strengthen links to primary care within the local context. Structural changes are needed, however, so that people do not use antibiotics as a proxy for health care. Improving the accessibility of primary healthcare would also curtail the reliance on community pharmacists’ to dispense antibiotics as a local mechanism of financial protection and social care within community.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/09581596.2024.2303421Antimicrobial resistance (ARM)antibioticsantimicrobial stewardship (AMS)Vietnamcommunity pharmacists
spellingShingle Duy Trinh Hoang
Shannon McKinn
Dorothy Drabarek
Thao Thu Trieu
Van Thuy Pham
Yen Ngoc Pham
Thai Hung Cao
Hung Mai Tran
Greg J. Fox
Thu-Anh Nguyen
Sarah Bernays
‘When I tried to explain, they shouted back at me!’: exploring how community pharmacists navigate tensions implementing antimicrobial stewardship in Vietnam
Critical Public Health
Antimicrobial resistance (ARM)
antibiotics
antimicrobial stewardship (AMS)
Vietnam
community pharmacists
title ‘When I tried to explain, they shouted back at me!’: exploring how community pharmacists navigate tensions implementing antimicrobial stewardship in Vietnam
title_full ‘When I tried to explain, they shouted back at me!’: exploring how community pharmacists navigate tensions implementing antimicrobial stewardship in Vietnam
title_fullStr ‘When I tried to explain, they shouted back at me!’: exploring how community pharmacists navigate tensions implementing antimicrobial stewardship in Vietnam
title_full_unstemmed ‘When I tried to explain, they shouted back at me!’: exploring how community pharmacists navigate tensions implementing antimicrobial stewardship in Vietnam
title_short ‘When I tried to explain, they shouted back at me!’: exploring how community pharmacists navigate tensions implementing antimicrobial stewardship in Vietnam
title_sort when i tried to explain they shouted back at me exploring how community pharmacists navigate tensions implementing antimicrobial stewardship in vietnam
topic Antimicrobial resistance (ARM)
antibiotics
antimicrobial stewardship (AMS)
Vietnam
community pharmacists
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/09581596.2024.2303421
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