Community Pharmacy Users’ Characteristics, Reasons for Visit to the Pharmacy and Perceptions of the Role of Community Pharmacists in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Abstract

Community pharmacists need information about their customers’ needs, opinions and perceptions of themselves and their services, in order to serve them better. This study investigated the customers’ perceptions of community pharmacies and pharmacists in Harare, Zimbabwe. Forty three percent of the customers visited the pharmacy less than once a month. The majority of respondents (91 %) visited the pharmacy to purchase medicines recommended by their doctor. Most of the respondents (61.2 %) were not loyal to any particular pharmacy. The choice of a particular pharmacy by the respondents was mainly influenced by convenience (62.9 %). Many respondents did not have adequate knowledge of all the major roles of the pharmacist. Respondents generally held positive views and opinions of community pharmacies and community pharmacists.