Response to dysmenorrhoea: An assessment of pharmacists' knowledge and its application in practice

A combination of covert participant observation and semi-structured interviews was used in 65 pharmacies to assess pharmacists' skills and knowledge in their response to the symptom of dysmenorrhoea. The pharmacists were found to ask too few questions; 12 per cent asked no questions. Over half the pharmacists did not recommend the product of choice. Few pharmacists adopted a structured approach when responding to the symptom. The disappointing results could relate to a number of factors, one of which, inadequate training, was cited in the interviews.