The Role of Pharmacists in SDG 11: Healthy Cities, Healthy Lives

It cannot be denied that urban areas increasingly present a set of unique health challenges, especially in densely populated environments. This rapid means of urbanization is confronted with issues of pollution, overpopulation, and the increasing spread of diseases, which exacerbates the limited access to health care resources in many countries. Of the regions. Therefore, urban health represents an urgent need for sustainable solutions. Today, because pharmacists are key stakeholders in meeting these needs in line with the importance of embodying public health standards in line with Sustainable Development Goal 11, we will review in this article how pharmacists can support these goals that focus on building inclusive, safe, and sustainable cities.

Urban Health Challenges

The formation of the global demographic structure has long been recognized as a key factor driving increasing urbanization. A United Nations report published in 2019 highlighted this trend, noting: “More than 55% of the world’s population now resides in cities, while this figure is expected to rise to 68% by 2050.” While urbanization will promote economic development and improve access to services, it also brings significant health challenges, including air pollution, noise, inadequate housing, and limited access to healthcare services. According to the latest reports, approximately 4.2 million premature deaths worldwide are already attributed to air pollution in cities ( World Health Organization 2023).

In addition, it has been observed that the prevalence of chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and asthma is increasing, especially in urban areas, due to factors related to lifestyles and environmental stresses. In the midst of this, the importance of addressing these urban health challenges lies in achieving sustainable development plans and improving the quality of life. This is where pharmacists come in. By relying on their expertise and always being accessible, pharmacists can embody these effective experiences that aim to improve public health in cities. But the question that arises is... How?

Pharmacists as Key Urban Healthcare Providers

Pharmacists have always enjoyed a unique position in their ability to address the health challenges that urban populations face. As the number of pharmacies has increased to nearly one in every neighborhood, pharmacists have increased the convenience of access to basic health services as they are the most accessible health care professionals, and their pharmacies are often open for extended hours, forming the first point of contact for many community members seeking medical advice and treatment.

1.Preventive care

Pharmacists have always been at the forefront of disease control, providing regular vaccinations, ensuring health checks for high blood pressure and diabetes, and most importantly, providing the necessary health advice on daily practices and their interaction with individuals’ healthy lives. These services are a fundamental pillar in urban cities due to the enormous pressure on the health system ( American Pharmacists Association 2022).

2.Health culture

Due to the increase in urban population, there are bound to be noticeable health disparities, including limited health information related to disease prevention and management. Pharmacists work to bridge this gap by educating patients about the correct drug selection and determining lifestyle. Proper health care and learning how to manage chronic conditions. These educational efforts contribute to empowering individuals to take control of their health. (Jones 2023)

3.Ensuring the safety of medications

In cities, where a large segment of the urban population deals with multiple chronic conditions, medication management is a critical aspect of the public health system. Therefore, the presence of pharmacists ensures that patients understand their prescriptions and reduces the risk of drug interactions, which contributes to a lower rate of resulting errors. All of this will eventually lead to preventing complications and increasing hospitalization (World Pharmaceutical Federation 2021).

Exploring real-world examples of health programs led by pharmacists.

In today's world of health programs that are making a difference, areas through the involvement of pharmacists show how access to healthcare can be enhanced and the strain on healthcare systems lessened significantly. The following examples highlight this impact:

 1.Asthma Management Programs

Asthma care initiatives have been put in place to address the rising asthma rates linked to the heightened pollution levels in regions. Pharmacists in cities are conducting sessions on asthma to aid patients in managing their condition and steering clear of triggers with the goal of enhancing patients quality of life and reducing hospital admissions. It's expected that these efforts will culminate in control of asthma symptoms and a decrease in hospital visits.

2.Hypertension and Diabetes

In areas with populations like cities where chronic illnesses such as high blood pressure and diabetes are common issues to deal with regularly by pharmacists who offer screenings for both conditions to catch them early and provide necessary treatment promptly to minimize the long-term effects of these diseases, as highlighted in a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report showing a decrease in the number of cases thanks to these screenings.

3.Mental health support

With increasing levels of stress, depression, and social isolation, increasing levels of deterioration in the mental health of urban residents seem somewhat logical if we point out the limited access to specialized centers in this regard. For this reason, pharmacists are increasingly participating in awareness campaigns supporting mental health, especially in the aspect of providing counseling to individuals, as noted by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) - Utah (2022).

The Role of Sociology in the Urban Rehabilitation of Health and Pharmacist Engagement

There exists a significant need to assist both individual pharmacists and communities as a whole in addressing prevalent issues to accelerate urban health intervention programs. Improving urban health through fostering robust pharmacist involvement entails the following:

1.Pharmacists saving dollars for the healthcare system

The elderly and chronically ill patients treated by pharmacies in the community do not frequently require hospitalization, which is a major cost for the system. As stated by Pressure Reducing Strategies (2021), research shows that living in institutions where people receive adequate support from a single source lowers the chances of readmission to a hospital or visiting an emergency department.

2.Essential services delivered in underserved communities

In places with low individual income, healthcare professionals are scarce, and residents have limited access to specialized services due to their location. As mentioned in Health Coverage Community Online (2022), pharmacies help fill this gap, ensuring that patients from disadvantaged backgrounds can quickly receive treatment when needed.

3.Enhancing health among the disadvantaged

Health determination and action are key facets affecting urban health equity. As noted by Onrabor in Urban Health Intervention (2021), people with lower socioeconomic status are more likely to depend on the services offered by healthcare institutions, thereby enhancing literacy and improving care for those who fall ill, contributing to urban health equity.

Challenges and Opportunities for Pharmacists in Urban Health

Even as pharmacists enjoy an important position in urban health, challenges remain. Resource constraints, such as limited funding or support of public health programs, become limiting to large-scale health interventions they can provide. Sometimes the great volume of patients can be burdensome to be able to provide face-to-face care by a pharmacist. However, most of these challenges can be overcome by collaborating with healthcare teams, integrating pharmacists more within urban health policy, and expanding their scope of practice.

This paper reviews the innovative solutions that pharmacists might seek to develop to respond to such challenges: digital health tools and tele-pharmacy. Digital platforms may further facilitate the reach of pharmacists through remote consultations and health monitoring services to support urban residents in managing their health. (Do et al., 2023)

In conclusion, pharmacists are an asset in urban population health. Their easy accessibility, due to their specific competence and proactive intervention, will guarantee the achievement of SDG 11 for a healthy and sustainable city. By practicing preventive care, health education, and medication management, pharmacists can relieve the urban health-care burden and contribute to better quality of life.

For this reason, policymakers must acknowledge and support their unique role in urban health if cities are to continue on a path toward becoming healthier, more resilient places to call home.

To help strengthen the role of pharmacists in urban health, share this article to raise awareness in your community about the valuable contributions pharmacists make to public health. Take a moment to consider how you can actively contribute to improving urban health in your area. Additionally, we encourage you to join one of the IVPN-Network, FZ, LLE listservs for free to stay connected and informed about ongoing efforts and opportunities in this vital field.

Article by:

Mohammed Alostath - IVPN Entrepreneurship Listserv Member