Date of Conferral

5-6-2025

Date of Award

May 2025

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Public Policy and Administration

Advisor

Steven Matarelli

Abstract

There is a problem with the infant mortality rate among Black women living in Ohio. Despite programs such as the Ohio Infant Mortality Reduction Initiative and Celebrate One, the infant mortality rate among Black women continues to persist, and a rate disparity between White women and Black women remains. The purpose of this generic qualitative inquiry was to explore retail pharmacists’ behavioral beliefs and attitudes toward providing prenatal care as a reimbursed service in Ohio. Currently, no studies exist that explore retail pharmacists' behavioral beliefs and attitudes toward expanding their services to include prenatal care. Using Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior as a theoretical lens, the following research question was explored: With the implementation of Ohio Senate Bill 265 expanding access to care by designating pharmacists as healthcare providers, what behavioral beliefs and attitudes towards offering prenatal care as a reimbursed service influence pharmacists’ intention to positively impact the infant mortality rate in Ohio? Survey responses were obtained through open-ended structured surveys from 22 Ohio-based retail pharmacists who illustrated a positive attitude toward providing prenatal care and believed they could successfully provide additional services with adequate support. Overall, four emerging themes were identified: (a) adequate support needed (staffing, space, and time), (b) support for the addition of prenatal care, (c) proper training is critical, and (d) expanded access to care. The potential for positive social change is highlighted by the opportunity to reduce Ohio’s infant mortality rate by expanding Ohio Senate Bill 265, which would allow retail pharmacists to provide additional reimbursable clinical support services.

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