Honors Theses
Date of Award
Spring 5-2021
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
Pharmacy Administration
First Advisor
Erin Holmes
Second Advisor
Noa Valcarcel
Third Advisor
Marie Barnard
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
Pharmacists play a crucial role in patient care; they must be able to communicate effectively with patients to convey health information. Given the linguistic diversity of Mississippi, pharmacists will likely encounter Spanish-speaking patients in the course of their practice. Previous studies have investigated various indicators of pharmacists’ ability to communicate with Spanish-speaking patients; however, no existing studies regarding Mississippi pharmacy staff members’ ability to communicate with Spanish-speaking patients were found. The objectives of this study were to measure Mississippi pharmacists’ confidence, satisfaction, proficiency, use of resources, and level of education related to communicating with Spanish-speaking patients. The sample was composed of 66 members of the MPhA (Mississippi Pharmacists Association), recruited via email. The respondents completed a survey regarding various aspects of their ability to communicate with Spanish-speaking patients. The findings indicated a low level of confidence in communicating with Spanish-speaking patients; confidence declined with increasing complexity of tasks. The results also indicated somewhat underuse of resources available to pharmacists as well as a low level of satisfaction with communication quality. A significant association was found between working in a chain pharmacy and higher levels of dissatisfaction with communication quality (compared with an independent pharmacy). Additionally, a significant association was also found between higher numbers of Spanish-speaking patients seen and increased satisfaction with communication quality and proficiency in communication. Finally, qualitative responses indicated the potential for negative attitudes regarding Spanish-speaking patients and communication with them. Overall, this study uncovered possible areas for improvement in the education of pharmacists in communicating with Spanish-speaking patients as well as many areas for further study.
Recommended Citation
Kreh, Caroline, "Proficiency of Mississippi Pharmacy Staff in Communicating with Spanish-Speaking Patients" (2021). Honors Theses. 1784.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/1784
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