Table 4 Perceived availability and utilization of weight management services and products among respondents (n = 730)
From: Perceptions of the Malaysian general public on community pharmacy-based weight management services
Weight management services and products | Perceived availability of services and products (‘Are the following services or products available at the community pharmacy that you go to?’) | Utilization of services and products obtained (‘Have you ever used the following services or bought the following products at the community pharmacy that you go to?’) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Yes n (%) | No n (%) | Not sure n (%) | Yes n (%) | No n (%) | Not sure n (%) | |
Pharmacy services | ||||||
 Measurement of weight | 409 (56.0) | 276 (37.8) | 45 (6.2) | 234 (32.1) | 396 (54.2) | 100 (13.7) |
 Measurement of height | 367 (50.3) | 313 (42.9) | 50 (6.8) | 194 (26.6) | 453 (62.1) | 81 (11.1) |
 Calculation of body mass index | 337 (46.2) | 337 (46.2) | 56 (7.7) | 157 (21.5) | 494 (67.7) | 79 (10.8) |
 Measurement of waist/hip circumference | 261 (35.8) | 401 (54.9) | 68 (9.3) | 118 (16.2) | 560 (76.7) | 52 (7.1) |
 Measurement of body fat percentage | 250 (34.2) | 395 (54.1) | 83 (11.4) | 89 (12.2) | 586 (80.3) | 55 (7.5) |
 Measurement of blood pressure | 591 (81.0) | 127 (17.4) | 12 (1.6) | 260 (35.6) | 306 (41.9) | 164 (22.5) |
 Measurement of blood glucose | 581 (79.6) | 133 (18.2) | 16 (2.2) | 234 (32.1) | 338 (46.3) | 158 (21.6) |
 Measurement of blood cholesterol | 532 (72.9) | 166 (22.7) | 32 (4.4) | 194 (26.6) | 394 (54.0) | 141 (19.3) |
 Advice on physical activity to achieve weight loss | 353 (48.4) | 312 (42.7) | 64 (8.8) | 211 (28.9) | 402 (55.1) | 117 (16.0) |
 Advice on healthy eating to achieve weight loss | 337 (46.2) | 324 (44.4) | 68 (9.3) | 206 (28.2) | 429 (58.8) | 95 (13.0) |
 Referral to doctors and/or dieticians for weight loss | 189 (25.9) | 439 (60.1) | 102 (14.0) | 43 (5.9) | 645 (88.4) | 42 (5.8) |
 Referral to slimming centers for weight loss | 141 (19.3) | 477 (65.3) | 109 (14.9) | 35 (4.8) | 653 (89.5) | 41 (5.6) |
 Referral to other programs | 25 (3.4) | 479 (65.6) | 85 (11.6) | 9 (1.2) | 505 (69.2) | 99 (13.6) |
Weight management products and resources | ||||||
 Supplements (e.g. powdered drinks, herbal products and other non-drug products) | 553 (75.8) | 151 (20.7) | 26 (3.6) | 181 (24.8) | 385 (52.7) | 164 (22.5) |
 Creams | 323 (44.2) | 270 (37.0) | 137 (18.8) | 55 (7.5) | 648 (88.8) | 27 (3.7) |
 Oral medications | 388 (53.2) | 238 (32.6) | 104 (14.2) | 76 (10.4) | 553 (75.8) | 100 (13.7) |
 Information materials (e.g. brochures, leaflets, popular diet books and video CDs) | 283 (38.8) | 308 (42.2) | 139 (19.0) | 80 (11.0) | 589 (80.7) | 61 (8.4) |