WEST HILLS, Calif. — Findings from a new study conducted by Pharmavite show that pharmacists have compromised their own health and wellbeing by working longer hours to meet the increased demand for their services over the course of the pandemic. 62% of surveyed pharmacists report these new work commitments are a top impediment to self-care and 30% of surveyed pharmacists report that due to this increased demand, they are now taking worse care of themselves when compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Rhonda Hoffman

“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 report 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. And,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,” adds Hoffman.

Findings from the research are 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, results are based on total sample.