Pharmacists have compromised their own health and well-being by working longer hours to meet the increased demand for their services over the course of the pandemic. 
 
According to a survey conducted by Pharmavite, 62% of pharmacists reported these new work commitments are a top impediment to self-care. Additionally, 30% reported that due to this increased demand, they are now taking worse care of themselves compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic began.
 
“Pharmacists have always played an integral role as trusted and accessible advisors on health-related matters, but the pandemic placed an increased demand on them as a source of much needed support at a time when other areas of the healthcare system were overtaxed,” said Rhonda Hoffman, chief marketing officer for Pharmavite.
 
Despite the increase in stress and workload, there was one silver lining to the research: eight out of 10 pharmacists reported that daily vitamin supplementation was an important part of their own routine that did not fall to the wayside, when maintaining their overall health. Pharmacists (75%) shared there has been a surge in patients requesting information about vitamins and/or supplements since the beginning of the pandemic, with 72% stating they regularly recommend a daily vitamin routine to patients as a best practice for well-being.
 
When asked what the top 3 reasons are for recommending vitamins and supplements, pharmacists responded: 1) Overall Support (Multivitamin); 2) Bone Support (D, Calcium); 3) Digestive Support (Probiotics, Fiber).
 
“Whether returning to practices lost during the pandemic or incorporating new ones moving forward, it’s important to remember that nutrient intake is an essential part of good health along with quality sleep, exercise, and other stress-reducing practices,” Hoffman added.

Findings from the research were based on an online survey of 275 people. The survey included a nationally representative sample of Americans over the age of 18 who work as pharmacists in either retail or hospital environments. Survey responses were collected in April of 2021.