Role of community pharmacy in the prevention of cardiovascular disease in minority ethnic groups in the UK including barriers and facilitators: protocol for a mixed methods systematic review.

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a major public health issue in the United Kingdom (UK) and disproportionately affects minority ethnic groups who face higher rates of CVD, necessitating targeted interventions to address their specific health needs. Community pharmacies are accessible healthcare hubs that could address CVD and associated health inequalities. However, more promotion and research are needed to effectively reach deprived and hard-to-reach groups. Understanding the role of community pharmacies in preventing CVD in minority ethnic groups, including barriers and facilitators, is essential to improve their use in meeting this inequity. The objective of this review is to review the published literature to understand the potential role of community pharmacy in the prevention of CVD in minority ethnic groups, including barriers and facilitators.

Methods: A comprehensive literature search of Medline, EMBASE, PubMed, Scopus, Web Of Science and The Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature to identify published primary studies reporting on the role of community pharmacy in the prevention of CVD in minority ethnic groups including barriers and facilitators will be conducted (conducted 30 September 2024-2 October 2024). Backward and forward citation tracking will be conducted to identify further studies of relevance. Additionally, OpenGrey and Google Scholar searches will be conducted to identify unpublished studies. The mixed methods appraisal tool will be employed to assess study quality. Data will be extracted using a piloted data extraction form, adapted from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence evidence table for qualitative studies. Reporting will be in line with enhancing transparency in reporting the synthesis of qualitative research (ENTREQ) guidelines. Background: Ethics approval is not required for systematic reviews of published literature. The review will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. The findings of this review will be combined with those of the future research and will be disseminated as guidance for members of ethnic minority groups and as recommendations for healthcare professionals and policy makers. CRD42024579766.