PHARMACISTS UNDERSTANDING AND ATTITUDES TOWARDS PHARMACEUTICAL CARE IN SAUDI ARABIA

Objective: The questionnaire was designed to determine both institutional (hospitals and healthcare centers) and community pharmacists understanding, attitudes and barriers that limit provision of pharmaceutical care. Method: Five hundred fifty institutional pharmacists and 250 community pharmacists were included in the survey. Data were collected via face-to-face encounter using piloted questionnaire. Results: The total response numbered 375, which constitute a 71.6% response rate from community pharmacists and 35.6% from institutional pharmacists. More than 70% of the pharmacists surveyed had also favorable understanding of pharmaceutical care. The respondents showed positive attitudes towards pharmaceutical care. Approximately more than 89% of respondents felt the future of pharmacy would depend on the provision of professional services other than dispensing. The main barriers perceived by the pharmacist were lack of adequate training in pharmaceutical care practice, lack of work place for counseling, lack of staff, insufficient time, lack of patient demand, lack of therapeutic knowledge, lack of support from owners. There were significant differences in responses to a number of issues recognized by male and females, age, years in practice and work setting. Conclusion: Pharmacists expressed general positive awareness and attitudes toward pharmaceutical care irrespective of practice settings. Several demographic factors including gender, years in experience and work setting were associated with awareness and attitudes toward pharmaceutical care. Pharmacists in Saudi Arabia indicated willingness but expressed major concern about their clinical knowledge, communication skills and pharmacy layout. This however makes implementation of pharmaceutical care logical. A joint collaboration between health authorities, colleges of pharmacy and medicine, pharmaceutical and medical societies is highly demanded for the promotion of pharmaceutical care in the country. Finally, training programs in pharmaceutical care practice should be available to the pharmacists.