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Jordanian pharmacists’ knowledge of issues related to using psychotropic medications a cross-sectional study
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| Author:
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DERAR H.ABDEL-QADER, ESRAA E. AL JOMAA, JENNIFER SILVERTHORNE, SALIM HAMADI
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| Abstract:
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Background: Although understanding pharmacists' perspective about psychiatric disorders is important for career development, they have not been studied yet in the Jordanian context. Objective: To evaluate pharmacists’ knowledge on psychotropic medications and to evaluate pharmacists' attitude towards providing pharmaceutical care (PPC) to patients with psychiatric disorders. Methods: A cross-sectional electronic survey was sent to 500 pharmacists licensed in the Jordanian Pharmacists’ Association (JPA). The questionnaire was about: demographics, knowledge on psychotropic medications and the attitude towards PPC to patients with psychiatric disorders. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics and Chi-square test. Results: A total of 459 pharmacists completed the survey (Response rate = 91.8%). There were 366 pharmacists (79.8%) knew that chronic use of benzodiazepines can lead to dependence. Less than half of pharmacists (221/459, 48.1%) knew the first use of vortioxetine. Only one-quarter (117/459, 25.4%) of pharmacists were confident to suggest prescription in mental cases or changes in dosage of psychotropic medications. About two-thirds (290/459, 63.1%) were confident to give medical counseling to patients with psychiatric disorders. Pharmacists, who held a Phar.D. degree had the highest percentage of correct answers followed by pharmacists with master’s degree, and then pharmacists with a bachelor degree (p<0.05). Conclusion: Jordanian pharmacists reported overall positive attitude towards PPC to patients with psychiatric disorders, but comparatively expressed less confidence in decision-making about psychotropic medications. Pharmacists also had limited knowledge on psycho-pharmacotherapy, which indicated the need to focus on professional development programmes that improve pharmacists’ knowledge on mental conditions and psychiatric pharmacotherapy to improve the effectiveness of the management of psychiatric disorders in general health services and meet the needs of patients with psychiatric disorders.
Implications for practice
• Greater focus on the pharmacist-patient relationship and education incorporating interpersonal exposure to patients with psychiatric disorders may be useful.
• Increasing pharmacists’ knowledge on psychotropic medications may well lead to enhanced self-efficacy and greater intent of pharmacists to provide additional PPC patients with psychiatric disorders.
• In line with the concept of PPC and so-called psychiatric-pharmacist, pharmacists’ role may expand to include patient education and support in psychiatry practice, enhancing patient’s adherence, monitoring treatment effectiveness, and identifying adverse effects.
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| Keyword:
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attitudes, psychiatric disorders, pharmacists, pharmaceutical care, perception, psychiatry.
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| EOI:
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| DOI:
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https://doi.org/10.31838/ijpr/2021.13.03.045
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| Download:
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