Evaluation of community pharmacists' awareness towards Middle East respiratory syndrome: a simulated client method.

Soliman, Alaa Bahaa; Talkhan, Hend Ahmed; Ibrahim, Mohamed Izham Mohamed; Shalash, Ala Ahmad

Abstract

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. 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). 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. 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). Qatar community pharmacist's MERS related information, recommendations, and counselling practices were below expectations and inconsistent, thus urging the need for continuous professional development.

Citation

SOLIMAN, A.B., TALKHAN, H.A., IBRAHIM, M.I.M. and SHALASH, A.A. 2023. Evaluation of community pharmacists' awareness towards Middle East respiratory syndrome: a simulated client method. Journal of clinical and diagnostic research [online] 17(6), pages IC01-IC05. Available from: https://doi.org/10.7860/jcdr/2023/62030.18022

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 17, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Jun 1, 2023
• Publication Date: Jun 30, 2023
• Deposit Date: Mar 29, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 29, 2024
• Journal: Journal of clinical and diagnostic research
• Print ISSN: 2249-782X
• Electronic ISSN: 0973-709X
• Publisher: JCDR Research and Publications (P) Limited
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 17
• Issue: 6
• Pages: IC01-IC05
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.7860/jcdr/2023/62030.18022
• Keywords: Competency; Patient simulation; Pharmacies; Professional practice; Respiratory disease
• Public URL: https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/2284317