Integrating domestic violence (DV) education into pharmacy curriculum is a vital step to equipping pharmacists with the necessary skills to effectively address DV, according to a new Monash study.
The World Health Organization defines DV as “the intentional use of physical force, threats, intimidation, or psychological abuse by a family member, intimate partner or caregiver to control another person’s behaviour”. It encompasses various forms of abuse, including physical, sexual, emotional and economic, and affects individuals across all demographics, regardless of age, gender, race or socioeconomic status.
Community pharmacists are the most accessible healthcare providers, making them uniquely positioned to identify and support individuals affected by DV. However, training in this area is often lacking in pharmacy education.
In this study, the team of researchers from Monash’s Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (FPPS) conducted interviews with pharmacy practitioner educators to identify the challenges and opportunities associated with DV education in pharmacy curriculum.
The findings highlighted community accessibility to pharmacists as a primary reason to better prepare the profession to support individuals experiencing DV, while at the same time several challenges were raised by the interviewees, including a lack of confidence, insufficient training, and ethical and legal concerns regarding pharmacists’ roles in DV cases.
Those interviewed recommended that students should be trained to recognise, refer and seek guidance from professionals specifically trained to support DV-affected individuals.
The study’s lead authors, Dr Harjit Khera and Dr Suzanne Caliph, emphasised that the goal is to empower pharmacists to expand their roles and know whom to refer patients to for further support.
Dr Caliph is also a community pharmacist.
“Community pharmacists are frequently an underutilised resource in the management of DV. They have the potential to play a significant role in identifying signs of DV, offering support, and connecting patients with appropriate resources and services.
“However, a lack of confidence and experience emerged as a recurring concern in the study, with interviewees suggesting that DV-specialised professionals are needed to effectively teach DV education to pharmacy students.”
Dr Khera, a Senior Teaching Fellow, said there is potential value in exploring partnerships with organisations that specialise in DV.
“Support from groups and individuals trained in DV, such as social workers, advocacy groups, or other healthcare professionals, could enhance training resources and provide valuable real-world contexts for pharmacy students. Incorporating feedback from these types of professionals and organisations may lead to a more robust and responsive curriculum that reflects the complexities of DV issues,” Dr Khera said.
The authors state in the study that further research should explore the perspectives of pharmacy students and practitioners, as well as assess the long-term impacts of DV education on practice and patient outcomes. By addressing these challenges, pharmacy education can better prepare pharmacists to support vulnerable populations.
The study, titled Integrating Domestic Violence Education into the Pharmacy Curriculum, has been published in MDPI journal, Pharmacy.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmacy13010008
Study Participants and Recruitment
The participants of this study included 12 pharmacy practitioner educators from Monash University’s Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. The recruitment process used purposive sampling, with personalised email invitations sent to participants that included a comprehensive explanatory statement outlining this study’s purpose, procedures, risks, and benefits, and ethical consideration of this study to ensure that participants had all the information needed to make an informed decision about whether to participate.
Contact details:
Kate Carthew
0447 822 659
