Connecting pharmacist burnout, workforce challenges and rural pharmacy access: A PRISMA-ScR scoping review.

Authors

Nandini Manne, Alberto Coustasse, Thomas Pile, Craig Kimble

Published in

Journal of the American Pharmacists Association : JAPhA. Pages 103587. Nov 14, 2026. Epub Nov 14, 2026.

Abstract

Pharmacist burnout and workforce instability are generally studied separately from pharmacy closures, pharmacy deserts, and rural pharmacy access disparities. Integrating these domains may clarify where pharmacy workforce conditions and access vulnerabilities intersect, particularly in underserved communities.
To map published and policy evidence on pharmacist burnout, workforce instability, pharmacy service capacity, pharmacy deserts, and medication access in rural and socially vulnerable U.S. communities.
This scoping review followed established scoping review guidance and was reported using PRISMA-ScR. PubMed, Scopus, Embase, CINAHL, and Web of Science were searched for sources published January 1, 2010, through March 31, 2026, with an update in June 2026. Supplemental sources were identified through reference chaining and targeted government, professional, and rural health policy resources. Two reviewers screened and charted eligible sources. Findings were mapped narratively across pharmacy workforce, service capacity, geographic and functional access, rurality, and medication access domains.
Twenty-seven sources were included. Pharmacist burnout was substantial, with reported prevalence ranging from 51% to 75% across included sources. Workforce projections identified approximately 14,200 pharmacist and 49,000 pharmacy technician openings annually through 2034. Although 88.9% of U.S. residents lived within 5 miles of a pharmacy, pharmacy desert estimates ranged from 15.8 million to 57.1 million people under different definitions. Rural residents had less proximate access than urban residents (26.9% vs 67.4% within 1 mile). No included source assessed the entire workforce-to-access pathway in one empirical study.
Evidence documents substantial pharmacist burnout and distinct workforce and pharmacy access vulnerabilities, but direct studies linking workforce conditions, pharmacy service delivery, and patient access outcomes are limited. Longitudinal, multilevel investigations are needed, particularly in rural and socially vulnerable communities.

PMID:
43033982
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 15 Nov 2026.

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