News

On March 21, Dalhousie pharmacy students took to the busy entrance of the Student Union Building to raise awareness about mental health and the role pharmacists can play in helping people in their communities living with mental illness.  The occasion was part of the College of Pharmacy's outreach activities related to the national Pharmacist Awareness Month campaign.  The event at the SUB was the first pharmacy student led initiative at Dalhousie to focus on mental health in our communities.

The display showcased the photographic artwork of Stella Ducklow that highlighted mental illness and stigma awareness, an interactive quiz - "are you a mental health medications expert?" and information about the roles pharmacists play in caring for and supporting people who live with a mental illness.  The booth was organized and presented by third-year Dalhousie pharmacy students Arti Dhoot, Andre Pollman, Joel Bergman, and Tiffany Connors alongside Dr. David Gardner, a professor with the Department of Psychiatry and the College of Pharmacy at Dalhousie.

Students and bypassing visitors to the booth were encouraged to partake in a short mental health quiz, which highlighted the prevalence and impact of mental illness and ways in which pharmacists can improve the health and wellness of people with mental health problems.  The quiz engaged visitors and stimulated discussion about stigma, medications, and pharmacists' roles and clinical service.

The booth displayed several over-the-counter (OTC) medications commonly used in the treatment of mental illness, such as folic acid, B-complex stress tablets, and omega-3 fish oils.  Passers by were asked "which of these has high quality evidence to support their use in the treatment of mental health problems and which do not?"  The follow-up question was "who would know the answer to this question?" and would promote a discussion about the training, knowledge, abilities, and various roles of the pharmacist in community mental health.  Pharmacy students also shared information about mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and psychosis.  They clarified the importance of pharmacists in providing education, monitoring treatment outcomes and side effects, and helping their patients navigate and access mental health resources in their communities.  A focus of the booth was the advocacy and supportive roles of the pharmacist.

Donations were collected in support of Laing House, a Halifax-based peer support organization for youth living with mental illness, and the Mood Disorders Society of Canada.  Both of these organizations as well as TeenMentalHealth.org, MedicationInfoShare.com, and Dalhousie's  Department of Psychiatry provided pamphlets, posters, and various other mental health information items for the event.  In light of the event's success, the College of Pharmacy hopes to have an annual mental health booth for Pharmacy Awareness Month.