Basheti Iman A, Mhaidat Nizar M, Al-Azzam Sayer, Alqudah Rajaa, Nassar Razan, Alzubaidi Hamzah, Abu-Samak Mahmoud S, Abu-Gharbieh Eman
Clinical Pharmacy, Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Applied Science Private University, Amman, Jordan.
Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan.
J Pharm Policy Pract. 2021 Dec 2;14(1):102. doi: 10.1186/s40545-021-00382-z.
With the outbreak of Coronavirus infection (COVID-19), pharmacists play an important role in supporting local health during this emergency.
To assess the knowledge and to identify information sources regarding COVID-19 used by pharmacists, to investigate the active and public perceived roles of pharmacists, to explore the role of the pharmacy facilities and health authorities, and to identify barriers that would hinder pharmacists from performing their duties optimally in the United Arab Emirates.
This descriptive cross-sectional online study was conducted in the UAE during the COVID-19 outbreak, from 18 May to 20 June 2020. A validated online questionnaire addressing participants' current knowledge about pandemics and COVID-19, source of information, and their perspectives of their role was used. Participants were licensed pharmacists practising in community and hospital pharmacies in UAE, academics, and pharmacy students.
Almost two-thirds of the participants (71.2%) were aged 18-30 years, with 76.2% females. Only 57.5% of participants believed that they got enough education about pandemics, and 88.3% of them followed on the latest coronavirus updates regarding treatments, and that is mainly from the World Health Organization reports (53.9%), followed by health authorities (44.8%). Two-thirds of participants (69.7%) had good/very good current knowledge regarding COVID-19. Knowledge of pharmacy students compared to pharmacists was significantly higher (p < 0.001).
The majority of pharmacists and pharmacy students reported that they have a major role in managing pandemics executed through the community pharmacies and that it is their role to ensure the availability of key medications. Policymakers and health authorities are called upon to train pharmacists in advance of emerging situations, supporting and helping them to optimally fulfill their role.
随着冠状病毒感染（COVID-19）的爆发，药剂师在此次紧急情况中对支持当地卫生工作发挥着重要作用。
评估药剂师对COVID-19的知识并确定其使用的信息来源，调查药剂师的积极作用和公众认知的作用，探索药房设施和卫生当局的作用，并确定在阿拉伯联合酋长国阻碍药剂师最佳履行职责的障碍。
这项描述性横断面在线研究于2020年5月18日至6月20日在COVID-19爆发期间于阿联酋进行。使用了一份经过验证的在线问卷，该问卷涉及参与者对大流行病和COVID-19的当前知识、信息来源及其对自身角色的看法。参与者为在阿联酋社区和医院药房执业的持牌药剂师、学者和药学专业学生。
近三分之二的参与者（71.2%）年龄在18至30岁之间，女性占76.2%。只有57.5%的参与者认为他们接受了足够的关于大流行病的教育，其中88.3%的人关注了有关治疗的最新冠状病毒更新情况，主要来自世界卫生组织的报告（53.9%），其次是卫生当局（44.8%）。三分之二的参与者（69.7%）对COVID-19有良好/非常好的当前知识。与药剂师相比，药学专业学生的知识水平显著更高（p < 0.001）。
大多数药剂师和药学专业学生报告称，他们在通过社区药房管理大流行病方面发挥着重要作用，确保关键药物的供应是他们的职责。呼吁政策制定者和卫生当局在新情况出现之前对药剂师进行培训，支持并帮助他们最佳地履行职责。
