Using the theory of planned behaviour to develop targets for interventions to enhance patient communication during pharmacy consultations for non-prescription medicines

OBJECTIVE: To identify modifiable factors that influence patients' information-giving behaviour about their health during consultations with pharmacy staff.

METHODS: A theory of planned behaviour questionnaire was posted to 3000 individuals randomly selected from the Scottish Electoral Register.

RESULTS: The 927 respondents confirmed a low rate of disclosure of information about their health to pharmacy staff during their last pharmacy visit. Individuals who intended to give information about their health during pharmacy consultations were more likely to do so. Those who intended to give information during consultations had higher subjective norms than those who did not (i.e. intentions were associated with beliefs that people who were important to them, e.g. family members, doctors, thought they should give information during these consultations). Control beliefs, e.g. 'I am confident that I will give information if I have received good advice in the past', and behavioural beliefs, e.g. 'If I give information I will be sold an appropriate medicine', were not associated with intention or behaviour.

CONCLUSION: Future interventions to promote relevant communication between patients and pharmacy staff should target patients' subjective norms rather than control beliefs or behavioural beliefs.