A qualitative analysis of pharmacists' attitudes and practices regarding the sale of antibiotics without prescription in Syria

Bahnassi, Anas

doi:10.1016/j.jtumed.2014.09.001

Cited by 39 publications

(69 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…Despite the majority of pharmacists having excellent knowledge about legal requirements to dispense antibiotics and consequences of the irrational use of antibiotics, 74.0% pharmacists agreed that they dispense without prescription in their practice. These results were considered similar to a study conducted in Syria where 89.3% pharmacists admitted to dispensing antibiotics without prescription [7] while a simulated research conducted in India and Kilimanjaro region in Tanzania revealed that 66.7% and 90.0% pharmacies dispense antibiotics without prescription respectively [11,19] Patients, pharmacists and the regulatory authorities' practices may all contribute to this malpractice. The tendency of patients to visit pharmacy without a legal prescription was claimed by pharmacists to be among the reason for them to dispense without prescription to meet customer demands and expectations.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

“…AMR poses a significant threat to clinical efficacy, especially in developing countries because they lack comprehensive measures to combat AMR [7]. There are growing concerns that pharmacists and other drug dispensers do not adhere to Good Dispensing Practises (GDP), especially in lower and middle-income countries and thus contributing to AMR development [8].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Pharmacists’ Knowledge Attitude and Practice Regarding the Dispensing of Antibiotics without Prescription in Tanzania: An Explorative Cross-Sectional Study

Poyongo

Sangeda

2019

Preprint

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Background: Inappropriate use of antibiotics has been reported to contribute to the emergence and increase of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the world. Antibiotics are prescription-only medicines to be dispensed to a person with a legal prescription inscribed by a qualified medical practitioner. Enforcing the dispensing of antibiotics with prescription is a way to promote the rational use of antibiotics and preventing the development and spread of AMR. It is, therefore, the responsibility of a pharmacist to dispense or supervise the dispensing of antibiotics in pharmacies and ensure its rational use. This study aimed to assess pharmacists’ knowledge, attitude and practice regarding the dispensing of antibiotics without prescription in Tanzania. Methods: An online semi-structured questionnaire was designed, tested and shared with licensed pharmacists in Tanzania through an invitation link sent in their official WhatsApp groups. A list of names, contacts and emails of licensed pharmacists obtained from the Pharmacy Council was used to directly contact and request pharmacist to fill the questionnaire, in case the pharmacist contact was not on WhatsApp, a text SMS invitation was sent. Study data were collected and managed using REDCap electronic data capture tools hosted at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Data were then downloaded and exported into Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 for data analysis; Chi-square test was used to test association for categorical data, where a p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: More than 75% of pharmacists had excellent knowledge about the legal requirements for dispensing antibiotics and of the AMR challenge. Of the interviewed pharmacists, seventy-four percent admitted to dispensing antibiotics without prescription in their daily practice. The main reasons for administering antibiotics without prescription were the profitability nature of pharmacy business, a failure of the patient to get a prescription and lack of stringent regulatory authorities. Penicillins, macrolides and floroquinolones were the classes of antibiotics mostly dispensed without a prescription. Conclusion: The study shows that the dispensing of antibiotics without prescription is a common practice in Tanzania. The regulatory authorities should make regular inspections in pharmacies to detect this malpractice. The community should be trained on the importance of taking laboratory tests before getting medications for their sickness by a qualified medical practitioner.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pharmacists’ Knowledge Attitude and Practice Regarding the Dispensing of Antibiotics without Prescription in Tanzania: An Explorative Cross-Sectional Study

Poyongo

Sangeda

2019

Preprint

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“…This research is in line with other studies where amoxicillin is the most commonly used antibiotic in self medications by antibiotics such as research conducted in Sri Lanka 21 , Saudi Arabia 22 , Vietnam 23 . In addition, Amoxicillin is also the most widely prescribed antibiotic by pharmacies to patients in other countries such as Zambia 24 and Syria 25 .…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Depiction of Antibiotic Use without Presciption and Community Attitudes Towards Drugstores that Refused to Sell Antibiotic without Prescription

Rokhman

Satibi

2019

J. Manaj. dan Pelayanan Farm.

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Antibiotic resistance causes reduced therapeutic effectiveness. Understanding of people's behavior plays an important role in countering antibiotic resistance especially by preventing irrational use of antibiotics. The purpose of the study was to depict the experience of respondents in using antibiotics without prescription and the relationship of characteristics of respondents with unwillingness to remain a customer at a pharmacy that had refused to provide antibiotics without a prescription. The study design applied cross-sectional using a questionnaire, and sampling was done by purposive sampling. Respondents were people who used antibiotics without a doctor's prescription. The survey was conducted in Yogyakarta in September-October 2018. The data were analyzed descriptively and used multivariate logistic regression. As many as 44.2% of the total 670 respondents used antibiotics the last time more than a year ago; 69.5% received information about antibiotics from previous treatments; 93.4% received antibiotics from pharmacies, and 69.2% stated that the most used antibiotic was amoxicillin. More than half (62.2%) of respondents were still willing to become customers at a pharmacy that had refused to provide antibiotics without a prescription. Respondents with high school education or lower as the latest education degree (OR = 1.513; 95% CI 1.017-2.252); from family income below the regional minimum wage (OR = 1.858; 95% CI 1.302-2.651), and from Sleman Regency (OR = 1.457; 95% CI 1.016-2.089) became a predictor of the unwillingness of respondents to become customers at a pharmacy who had refused to provide antibiotics without a prescription. Supervision of antibiotic (especially amoxicillin) in pharmacies and education to the community needs to be used as part of a strategy against irrational use of antibiotics. In addition, education needs to be given to pharmacists to reduce fears of decreased in the number of their customers because they refuse to deliver antibiotics without a prescription.

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“…5 In addition to the as mentioned reasons, inadequate treatment duration, improper selection of drug and dosage also cause antibiotic resistance which urge to discover newer antibiotics to solve the antibiotic resistance. 6,7 Less knowledge about antibiotic resistance among undergraduates, health care professionals, pharmacists lead to irrational usage of antibiotics among patients and is reported worldwide. 5 Today's students are tomorrow's doctors.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A questionnaire based survey on knowledge, attitude and behaviour of antibiotic usage and resistance among undergraduates in South Indian teaching hospital

Jayabalan

Selvaraj

Ganesan

et al. 2018

Int J Basic Clin Pharmacol

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Background: Antibiotic resistance has become a global threat in the field of medicine. Multiple causes like antibiotic abuse, irrational usage of antibiotics, over the counter availability of antibiotics etc., have been put forth as culprit leading to antibiotic resistance. The present study aims at evaluating the knowledge, attitude and behaviour of antibiotic usage and resistance among undergraduates in South Indian teaching hospital.Methods: A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey conducted in undergraduate MBBS students including 5th to 9th semester at Department of Pharmacology. The questionnaire comprised off: Demographic data; Knowledge including 12 questions using Four-point likert scale; Attitude and behaviours consisting of 8 questions of Yes/No type. Data were analysed in the software SPSS version 24.0. Association among categorical variable were analysed with Analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by post hoc Bonferroni test.Results: Among 455, 382 students completed the survey instrument and the response rate was 87%. Statistically significant (p=0.002) results have been obtained for the correct responses of knowledge questionnaire. The order of “good knowledge” about antibiotic usage and resistance according to semesters are graded as VIII>VI>V. Unfortunately, there were no significant results seen with attitude and behaviour.Conclusions: The study concluded that, though there was adequate theoretical knowledge among undergraduate students however they lack in their attitude and behaviour regarding antibiotic usage and resistance. Therefore, they need to improve their attitude and behaviour over antibiotic usage and resistance.

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A qualitative analysis of pharmacists' attitudes and practices regarding the sale of antibiotics without prescription in Syria

Cited by 39 publications

References 18 publications

Pharmacists’ Knowledge Attitude and Practice Regarding the Dispensing of Antibiotics without Prescription in Tanzania: An Explorative Cross-Sectional Study

Pharmacists’ Knowledge Attitude and Practice Regarding the Dispensing of Antibiotics without Prescription in Tanzania: An Explorative Cross-Sectional Study

The Depiction of Antibiotic Use without Presciption and Community Attitudes Towards Drugstores that Refused to Sell Antibiotic without Prescription

A questionnaire based survey on knowledge, attitude and behaviour of antibiotic usage and resistance among undergraduates in South Indian teaching hospital

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