Evaluation of Community Pharmacists’ Awareness towards Middle East Respiratory Syndrome: A Simulated Client Method
Published: June 1, 2023 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.7860/JCDR/2023/62030.18022
Alaa Bahaa Soliman, Hend Ahmed Talkhan, Mohamed Izham Mohamed Ibrahim, Ala Ahmad Shalash
1. Pharmacist, Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Practice, College of Pharmacy, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.
2. Research Fellow, School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK.
3. Professor, Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Practice, College of Pharmacy, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.
4. Clinical Pharmacist, Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Practice, College of Pharmacy, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.
Correspondence
Dr. Ala Shalash,
Clinical Pharmacist, Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Practice, College of Pharmacy, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.
E-mail: alaa.a.shalash@gmail.com
Introduction: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is a viral respiratory disease caused by a coronavirus variant in the Arabian Peninsula. There is a lack of information regarding awareness and practices of community pharmacists in Qatar for this contagious disease.
Aim: To determine the quality of the MERS-related information, recommendations, and counselling practices provided by Qatar’s community pharmacists by using Simulated Client Method (SCM).
Materials and Methods: An observational cross-sectional study using a non traditional SCM was conducted in community pharmacies of Qatar from February 2017 to April 2017. A total of 30 community pharmacies were visited twice by two independent simulated clients and data regarding, provision of evidence-based information, recommendations and counselling practices were collected to assess the competency of pharmacists in managing MERS as a primary care problem. Both descriptive and inferential statistical methods were used for data analysis.
Results: In present study, majority of pharmacists encountered were male and younger than 45-year-old with 44 (73.3%) each. The average number of pharmacists who did not ask about the patient’s current medical conditions 56 (93.3), medications 58 (97.5%), allergies, and smoking status in both scenarios were not asked by any of the pharmacist. Most of the pharmacists gave an incorrect explanation of MERS 43 (71.7%). The overall quality counselling score for the pharmacists (mean±SD; median (IQR)) was {27.5±4.5; 28.5 (25.3-30.0)}. Quality counselling was significantly related to the type of pharmacy (p=0.0478).
Conclusion: Qatar community pharmacist’s MERS related information, recommendations, and counselling practices were below expectations and inconsistent, thus urging the need for continuous professional development.
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