Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41716358›Full record

ArticleExploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy2026

Discretion at the margins: An observational study of community pharmacists' adaptive practices in supporting migrant and ethnic minority health.

Charlotte Sente, Veerle Foulon, Karina Kielmann

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Charlotte SenteDepartment of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49 - O&N II - box 521, Leuven, Belgium.
Veerle FoulonDepartment of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49 - O&N II - box 521, Leuven, Belgium.
Karina KielmannDepartment of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, Nationalestraat 155, Antwerp 2000, Belgium.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Migrants and ethnic minorities (MEM) often face health challenges and structural and social barriers in accessing primary care. Pharmacists, as accessible healthcare professionals with expertise in medication management can address some of these barriers, however, their roles in serving MEM remain underexplored. Objectives: This study explored the adaptive communication and care practices of community pharmacists in responding to MEM clients in Flanders, Belgium. Methods: We conducted 42 h of non-participant observation and short reflective consultations with pharmacy staff of seven community pharmacies in two cities during February and March 2025. Field notes were structured using a semi-structured topic guide covering duration and content of pharmacist-client interactions; modes of communication; and delivery of pharmaceutical care. Framework analysis was used to code and categorize field notes according to micro-, meso-, and macro-level factors identified as influencing interactions between pharmacy staff and MEM clients. Results: Community pharmacy staff bridge healthcare gaps for MEM clients through multiple strategies, shaped by the dual logics of retail and healthcare. They were observed to accommodate diverse languages and proficiency levels; support medication and health (systems) literacy; address socio-economic challenges; and show sensitivity towards socio-cultural dynamics of care-seeking. Reflecting pharmacists' personal and professional motivations, these adaptive practices are shaped by meso-level factors such as staff composition, pharmacy layout, and social norms, as well as pharmacy-level discretionary actions within the Belgian health system and migration policy contexts. Conclusions: While well positioned to guide MEM clients through a fragmented health system, community pharmacists require systemic policy support to serve diverse population needs effectively.

Indexed as

BelgiumCommunity pharmacyEthnic minoritiesMigrantsObservationsPharmaceutical careQualitative research

Identifiers

PMID41716358
PMCPMC12915039

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.