P-48 A qualitative study exploring awareness of and access to mental health support and the role of the community pharmacist in facilitating such support for patients living with systemic rheumatic co

Methods: Two recruitment strategies were used: via poster and direct in-person engagement, to recruit twelve patients living with SARDs from three private clinics across Trinidad and Tobago. Remote semi-structured interviews using Zoom platform or phone call were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically using a combination of inductive and deductive methods. Supervisors independently reviewed transcripts to validate the coding framework. Ethical approvals were granted for this study by the University of Manchester Ethics Committee (UREC 2024-18772-38112) and participating clinics.

Results: Five main themes were interpreted from the twelve semi-structured interviews: (1) Impact of diagnosis and health circumstances - Participants described how receiving their diagnosis and ongoing health issues affected their physical and emotional well-being; (2) Awareness, education and promotion - A lack of mental health literacy revealed the need for targeted community awareness; (3) Support services and access - Help-seeking patterns identified and their perceptions of mental health support; (4) Barriers to mental health support - Stigma, financial constraints, and limited awareness hindered access to support; and (5) Pharmacists’ involvement in mental health support - Pharmacists were acknowledged as accessible, trusted healthcare professionals with potential to provide mental health support.

Conclusion: Mental health education must reach vulnerable populations such as patients living with SARDs. Further investigation is needed to understand their specific support needs and explore pharmacists’ perceptions of implementation of a mental health service in community pharmacies to narrow the gap between the physical and mental care in managing these conditions.