A survey of pharmacists' knowledge, attitudes and barriers in pharmaceutical care concept in Poland.
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Background
The major goals of pharmaceutical care (PC) are to improve the patient's quality of life and ensure safety of pharmacotherapy. Inclusion of a pharmacist in the multidisciplinary team caring for the patient and integration of state-of-the-art pharmaceutical services with medical care and nursing are some of the most important challenges that the health care system in Poland is facing.Objectives
To evaluate the pharmacists attitudes towards practice in, and knowledge of PC in Poland and to identify the barriers in PC provision.Methods
The study was designed as a multicenter study, conducted among Polish pharmacists. Random sampling technique was employed to select the study group. Face-to-face questionnaire method was used to interview the pharmacists, upon obtaining their prior verbal consent to participate in the study. The study was conducted between January 2017 and September 2019.Results
Only 15% of the pharmacists have ever attended a training on PC. 72% believed PC provision was necessary to ensure pharmacotherapy safety. Only 63% of the pharmacists believed that preventing and solving health-related and drug therapy problems for patients were their responsibilities. The main reason for non-provision of PC by the pharmacists was the lack of time for such activities, lack of legal regulations, lack of organizational facilities.Conclusion
This study indicates that implementation of PC is expected in Poland. Educational programs in this respect are urgently needed. PC provision should be included in the curricula of academic pharmaceutical courses.
SUBMITTER: Kopciuch D
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8404347 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Similar Datasets
Project description:Pharmaceutical care (PC) services reduce medication errors, improve the use of medicines, and optimize the cost of treatment. It can detect medication-related problems and improve patient medication adherence. However, PC services are not commonly provided in hospital pharmacies in Nepal. Therefore, the present study was done to determine the situation of PC in hospital pharmacies and explore the perception, practice, and barriers (and their determinants) encountered by hospital pharmacists while providing PC. A descriptive online cross-sectional study was conducted from 25th March to 25th October 2021 among pharmacists with a bachelor's degree and above working in hospital pharmacies using non-probability quota sampling. The questionnaire in English addressed perception and practice regarding PC, and barriers encountered and were validated by experts and pre-tested among 23 pharmacists. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the data. Kendall's correlation was used to explore the correlations among various perception and practice constructs. The scores were also compared among subgroups of respondents using the Mann-Whitney test for subgroups with two categories and Kruskal-Wallis test for greater than two categories. A total of 144 pharmacists participated in the study. Majority of the participants were male, between 22 and 31 years of age, and had work experience between 10 and 20 years. Over 50% had received no training in PC. The perception scores were higher among those with more work experience and the practice scores among those who had received PC training. Participants agreed that there were significant barriers to providing PC, including lack of support from other professionals, lack of demand from patients, absence of guidelines, inadequate training, lack of skills in communication, lack of compensation, problems with access to the patient medical record, lack of remuneration, and problems with accessing objective medicine information sources. A correlation was noted between certain perceptions and practice-related constructs. Hospital pharmacists who participated had a positive perception and practice providing PC. However, PC was not commonly practised in hospital pharmacies. Significant barriers were identified in providing PC. Further studies, especially in the eastern and western provinces, are required. Similar studies may be considered in community pharmacies.
| S-EPMC9532804 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Background Guidelines on the management of orally anticoagulated patients are continuously evolving, leading to an increased need for pharmacists to be fully integrated in care provision. Objective To identify self-reported gaps in confidence among practicing pharmacists in the area of anticoagulation. Setting Pharmacists in different work settings in different countries. Method Cross-sectional international survey from October 2015 till November 2016 among pharmacists working in different settings to assess their level of confidence when delivering anticoagulants as well as to identify possible educational needs regarding this medication class. Validation of the survey was ensured. Results Responses from 4212 pharmacists originating from 18 countries were obtained. Pharmacists' level of confidence was significantly higher (p < 0.001) when advising patients on vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) versus non-vitamin K antagonists (NOACs). In general, hospital pharmacists displayed higher confidence levels compared to community pharmacists when advising patients on anticoagulation (p < 0.001). Two distinct patterns of confidence levels emerged relating to basic and advanced pharmaceutical care. Confidence levels when providing advanced pharmaceutical care were significantly higher for Oceania and lower for South America (p < 0.005). Conclusions Pharmacists felt more confident in supporting patients receiving VKAs compared to the more recently introduced NOACs. With the increasing use of NOACs and the risks pertaining to anticoagulation therapy, it is essential to invest in education for pharmacists to address their knowledge gaps enabling them to confidently support patients receiving oral anticoagulants.
| S-EPMC5694509 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Objective:To assess knowledge and attitudes toward pharmaceutical care service among hospital and community pharmacists working in Harar and Dire Dawa town, Eastern Ethiopia. Method:A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among pharmacists working in hospital and community pharmacies, 2018. A total of 43 health settings (6 hospital and 37 community pharmacies) were involved in this study. All pharmacists who met the inclusion criteria were selected using a purposive sampling technique to take part in the study. The pretested structured self-administered questionnaires were used to collect data. The collected data was coded, entered, and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.0. The findings were presented by frequencies and percentages, and summary measures were displayed using tables. Chi-Square test and Fisher's exact test were performed to determine the association between sociodemographic characteristics and the level of knowledge and attitude about pharmaceutical care. The study protocol was approved by the Harar Health Sciences College Research Ethics Review Committee. Results:A total of seventy-eight pharmacists were included in the study with a response rate of 97.5%. The mean age (±Standard Deviation (SD)) of the study participants was 32.47?±?7.42 years, and the majority (88.3%) of the respondents were males. 56.4% of the respondents were working in the hospitals while 43.6% were working in community pharmacy. Overall, 85.9% of the respondents had good knowledge of pharmaceutical care. The types of training curriculum of the participants showed an association with the attitude of pharmacists (P value?=?0.022). Similarly, pharmacists' knowledge was associated with their practice setting (P value?=?0.022). Similarly, pharmacists' knowledge was associated with their practice setting (. Conclusion:The majority of pharmacists are knowledgeable about PC. However, nearly half of the pharmacists had an unfavorable attitude toward pharmaceutical care. Harari Regional and Dire Dawa City Health Bureaus should organize and provide in-service training on pharmaceutical care to pharmacists working in community and hospital pharmacies. Furthermore, the bureaus should advocate pharmaceutical care as one area in a continuous professional development program.
| S-EPMC7049419 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundCommunity pharmacists play an important role in the wellness of patients, families and friends affected by prescription and illicit opioid drugs. They are key partners of the Community Based Naloxone (CBN) Program in Alberta and similar programs across other Canadian jurisdictions. This publicly funded program is an evidence-based response to the opioid overdose crisis, facilitating access to and distribution of naloxone kits through pharmacies. The study aimed to describe Alberta community pharmacists' practices, training, comfort levels and views in dispensing naloxone kits through the CBN program and detail potential perceived barriers to program participation.MethodsThe study was conducted as a cross-sectional online survey of Alberta pharmacists. Data collected from the survey were descriptive and evaluated using Microsoft Excel. Fisher exact tests were used to study the associations in responses among several demographic characteristics and related to dispensing practices, pharmacists' beliefs and perceived barriers.ResultsA total of 255 responses were included in the final analysis, with 89.8% of pharmacists replying "yes" to CBN program participation. Pharmacists on average were "comfortable" dispensing naloxone to patients for varying indications, with 85% reporting always providing education when dispensing naloxone to an individual for the first time. About 41% of pharmacists reported no barriers to the program, with the most common perceived barriers being lack of time (29%), demand (20%) and funding (19%).ConclusionMost community pharmacists who responded to the survey participate in the CBN program in Alberta. They held positive beliefs about their role in screening patients for the risk of opioid overdose and are confident in their abilities to recommend and educate on naloxone kits. Proactive screening appeared lower, however, and dispensing kits were potentially variable. Addressing factors such as time, funding for services and demand may help further pharmacist uptake and success of the program. Can Pharm J (Ott) 2021;154:xx-xx.
| S-EPMC8282920 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundIn Australia, only 22% of people with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) are clinically managed; and a national effort is engaging primary care workforce in providing CHB-related care. This study explored CHB-related knowledge, attitudes, barriers and support needs of general practitioners (GPs).MethodsA survey was sent to a random sample of 1,000 Australian GPs in April- October 2018; 134 of 978 eligible GPs completed the questionnaire (14%).ResultsRespondents had high knowledge of at-risk populations (> 79%) and hepatitis B serology (82%), and most saw hepatitis B testing and monitoring as part of their work (95% and 86%, respectively). However, the survey revealed low knowledge, awareness and intention with respect to hepatitis B treatment: 23% correctly understood treatment initiation; 40% were aware that treatment for CHB could be dispensed in the community; 23% agreed that prescribing was part of their work. Lack of time was considered the greatest barrier (38%) and clear guidelines was the most important facilitator to providing care (72%).ConclusionInterventions are needed to generate interest and skills to provide CHB-related care by GPs.
| S-EPMC9161590 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The COVID-19 pandemic has caused innumerable changes to all aspects of human life and behavior, including academic life. This study describes the development of a COVID-19 Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (COVKAP) Survey among U.S. student pharmacists. The survey was administered at Doctor of Pharmacy programs in three states-Tennessee, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. The COVKAP survey-an online cross-sectional survey-was distributed to U.S. student pharmacists enrolled in three different colleges of pharmacy in three states during the fall semester of 2020. The survey was developed using literature review and Dillman's recommendations for survey design. The COVKAP survey consisted of 23 closed and Likert-scale questions, and three open-ended questions. The research team conducted descriptive and inductive thematic analyses on the quantitative and qualitative data, respectively using SPSS (v27) and Dedoose® software. A total of 421 responses were received. Respondents were predominantly female (72%) and White (79%). The average age of respondents was 23.4 years. The qualitative analysis revealed three themes: (1) Wellbeing and mental health struggles; (2) Being part of the decision-making process; (3) Necessity of adequate protection measures. Preliminary study findings indicate that student pharmacists' concerns and the challenges that they face in their academic pursuits are largely similar across the three states in this study and inform about the importance of recognizing and mitigating the impact of widespread disruption in education. This disruption provides an opportunity for pharmacy academia to examine practices and methods that can be improved upon to help students become successful practitioners.
| S-EPMC8544658 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundSince the introduction of pharmaceutical care concept by Hepler and Strand in 1990, community pharmacists worldwide have been realigning their roles from being product-focused to patient-orientated to improve patient's quality of life. The objectives of this study were to determine the type of services, with emphasis on the extent of pharmaceutical care services provided by community pharmacists and the barriers in providing such services in Malaysia.MethodsA cross-sectional observational study was conducted using an online questionnaire. Community pharmacists in Malaysia were invited to participate in the study via emails. The questionnaire was structured based on the Malaysian Community Pharmacy Benchmarking Guidelines, the five practice principles of pharmaceutical care by the American Pharmacists Association and other studies. The online questionnaire was opened for 6 months, from April to September 2018. A reminder to participate was sent via email to the community pharmacists every fortnight.ResultsA total of 420 community pharmacists responded to the online questionnaire. Besides essential services such as treatment for minor illness, medicine dispensing and counselling, most of the respondents were providing health screening and monitoring (99.5%), selection and recommendation of health supplements (90.5%), patient medication review (68.8%), weight management (52.4%) and counselling on smoking cessation (51.0%). More than half (53.3%) of the respondents reported that they were providing pharmaceutical care services to patients with chronic diseases. Based on the practice principles of pharmaceutical care, the respondents were involved in patients' data collection (23.3%), medical information evaluation (18.6%), formulating a drug therapy plan (9.3%), implementing a drug therapy plan (4.5%), and monitoring and modifying the plan (18.3%). Lack of separation between prescribing and dispensing was perceived as the main barrier to the implementation of pharmaceutical care services by a majority of the respondents (84.0%).ConclusionsThe present study found that pharmaceutical care services provided by community pharmacists in Malaysia were inadequate compared to international practice principles. Areas that need improvement included collaboration with patients' other health care providers; more proactive management of patient's medicine regimen; having proper patient monitoring and follow-up mechanisms, and documentation.
| S-EPMC8365940 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Although pharmacy literature suggests that pharmacists have a positive attitude towards older adults, there is a paucity of studies that have measured pharmacists' knowledge or attitudes towards older people. The purpose of our study was to assess the knowledge and attitudes of hospital pharmacists toward older adults. An electronic survey was distributed over two months to clinical hospital pharmacists across the province of Alberta, Canada. The survey was composed of two validated tools, the Palmore Facts of Aging Quiz (PFAQ) and Kogan's Attitude toward Old People Scale (KOPS). PFAQ is scored from 0 (poor knowledge) to 25 (high knowledge) and KOPS from 34 to 204, with higher than 119 indicating a positive attitude. A total of 153 pharmacists completed the survey (response rate of 24%). The mean age was 39 (SD 10.8) years; the average years practiced was 15 (SD 11), and the majority of respondents (n = 65) reported that >50% of patients in their practice were geriatrics. The mean correct responses on the PFAQ were 18.8 (SD 2.6). KOPS had a mean score of 156.8 (SD 14), with only one pharmacist score falling below 119, indicating a negative attitude. There was a statistically significant, positive correlation between attitudes and knowledge (r = 0.38, p < 0.05), as well as the increasing age of the respondents (r = 0.18, p = 0.03). The remaining measured categories (i.e., gender, years of pharmacy practice) had no significant effect. Clinical hospital pharmacists in Alberta have a positive attitude toward geriatric patients, as well as a satisfactory knowledge of older adults.
| S-EPMC8544685 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Pharmaceutical care (PC) practice is still limited in the United Arab Emirates. It is crucial to understand pharmacy students' attitudes and their perceived barriers towards PC provision, to evaluate the effectiveness of theoretical and practical curricula in creating positive attitudes toward PC. This study aims to assess attitudes of final year undergraduate pharmacy students in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the barriers perceived by them to practice PC. A cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted in February and March, 2020, involving colleges in UAE offering undergraduate pharmacy programs and having students in their final year. Participants filled a questionnaire covering attitudes' items, based on the Pharmaceutical Care Attitudes Survey (PCAS), and several perceived barriers. A stratified sample of 193 students participated from six universities, 85% were females, 92.2% and 64.8% completed or engaged in community and hospital pharmacy training respectively, at the time of the study. Attitudes' items receiving the highest agreement were PC will improve patient health (95.3%), all pharmacists should perform PC (93.3%) and PC would benefit pharmacists (92.7%). However, 44.6% agreed PC is not worth the additional workload. Females showed higher attitudes' total scores, median (IQR): 55 (51-58) and 52 (49-55.5) for females and males respectively, P = 0.032. Having incomplete courses was also associated with lower scores, median (IQR): 55 (51-58) and 52 (48.5-55.5) for "No" and "Yes" respectively, P = 0.048. Poor image of the pharmacist's role and lack of private counseling area or inappropriate pharmacy layout were the most perceived barriers, with around 78% agreement. In conclusion, final year undergraduate pharmacy students in the UAE have positive attitudes towards pharmaceutical care. The current curricula may be satisfactory in fostering positive attitudes among students. Poor image of the pharmacist's role and lack of counseling area or inappropriate pharmacy layout were the main barriers identified, among other barriers.
| S-EPMC7886123 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundAmong all cancers, breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer and the leading cause of mortality among women in developing countries including Palestine. Community pharmacists are trusted and easily accessible healthcare providers who could be engaged in breast cancer health promotion. This study was conducted with the aim of exploring knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and barriers toward breast cancer health promotion among community pharmacists in the Palestinian territories.MethodsThis study was conducted in a cross-sectional design using a questionnaire among community pharmacists. Knowledge of community pharmacists of breast cancer was tested using a 26-item knowledge test. Attitudes and beliefs of the community pharmacists with regard to breast cancer promotion were explored using 14 items. Barrier to breast cancer health promotion were explored using 9 items.ResultsData were collected from 200 community pharmacists. The median knowledge score was 69.2 % with and IQR of 15.2 %. Of the community pharmacists, 67.5 % scored 50 % and above in the knowledge test. Multivariate logistic regression showed that community pharmacists who were female in gender were more likely to score 50 % and above in the knowledge test compared to the community pharmacists who were male in gender (OR = 4.73, 95 % CI of 2.26-9.89). The community pharmacists had positive attitudes toward breast cancer health promotion. There was a significant moderate positive correlation between knowledge and attitudes scores (Spearman's rho = 0.37, p-value < 0.001). Lack of reimbursement, lack of enough personnel, lack of time, and fear of offending the patients were the main barriers to breast cancer health promotion (percentage of agreement > 60.0 %).ConclusionsThis study shed light on the role of community pharmacists in breast cancer health promotion. Pharmacists had good knowledge of breast cancer and positive attitudes toward promoting the health of patients with breast cancer. Further studies are still needed to determine how to integrate community pharmacists in the team of healthcare providers caring for patients with breast cancer.
| S-EPMC8101222 | biostudies-literature