Situational Communication Self-Confidence Among Community Pharmacists: A Descriptive Analysis

Objective: To compare community pharmacists' self-perceived communication confidence in prescription drug abuse and addiction (PDAA)-related scenarios to their self-confidence in other scenarios.

Methods: An 18-item survey instrument adapted from the Self-Perceived Communication Competence instrument was administered to 2000 licensed Tennessee community pharmacists. Items elicited communication confidence across common community pharmacy scenarios. Analysis of communication self-confidence scores across context, receiver, audience, and demographic variables was conducted.

Results: Mean self-confidence ratings ranged from 54.2 to 92.6 (0-100 scale). Self-perceived communication confidence varied across context, receiver, audience, personal and practice setting characteristics. Scenarios that involved PDAA communication with patients were scored significantly lower than non-PDAA patient scenarios (mean = 84.2 vs. 90.4, p

Conclusion: Community pharmacists are less confident in their ability to communicate with patients about PDAA as compared to non-PDAA scenarios. Practice Implications: Engaging patients and prescribers in PDAA conversations is a critical component of preventing and treating PDAA. Research is warranted to further explore measures of situational communication self-confidence and interventions to optimize self-confidence beliefs across PDAA scenarios.