Khawagi Wael Y, Baali Fahad H, Alnefaie Norah M, Albishi Shatha A, Al-Swat Alla H, Alshahrani Dinan A, Alshemaimri Ragad A, Alshehri Abdullah A
Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taif University, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia.
College of Pharmacy, Taif University, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia.
Healthcare (Basel). 2025 Feb 6;13(3):347. doi: 10.3390/healthcare13030347.
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Medication adherence is essential for effective healthcare, significantly influencing treatment success and overall health outcomes. However, there is limited understanding of how healthcare professionals in Saudi Arabia manage and support medication adherence. This study aims to examine physicians' and pharmacists' approaches to managing medication adherence in Saudi Arabia by examining the methods used for adherence assessment, interventions to enhance adherence, and the challenges faced.
A cross-sectional study was conducted over nine months using a self-administered online questionnaire. The study targeted physicians and pharmacists actively working in Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire was distributed through professional networks to ensure a broad and representative sample.
A total of 397 healthcare professionals met the inclusion criteria, comprising 81.1% pharmacists and 18.9% physicians. Direct patient inquiry was the most common assessment method, frequently or always used by 81.3% of physicians and 57.1% of pharmacists. Treatment response evaluation was similarly frequent (89.3% of physicians and 56.2% of pharmacists). Standardized tools, such as the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale, were underutilized (14.7%). Adherence-enhancing interventions focused on patient education, and their use was reported by 89.3% of physicians and 74.2% of pharmacists as frequent or always. Written information was more commonly used by pharmacists (65.8%) than physicians (45.3%). Barriers included excessive workloads and short consultation times (59.9%), absence of effective systems for tracking adherence (51.9%), lack of reliable tools for assessing adherence (48.9%), and insufficient training in behavioral interventions (48.1%).
This study reveals significant differences in medication adherence management practices between physicians and pharmacists in Saudi Arabia, emphasizing their distinct roles. Key barriers, including excessive workload, limited consultation time, and inadequate tracking systems, hinder the adoption of evidence-based tools. Tailored interventions, enhanced interprofessional collaboration, and systemic support are essential to address these challenges and improve adherence management, ultimately enhancing patient outcomes.
背景/目的：药物依从性对于有效的医疗保健至关重要，对治疗成功和整体健康结果有重大影响。然而，对于沙特阿拉伯的医疗保健专业人员如何管理和支持药物依从性，人们的了解有限。本研究旨在通过检查用于依从性评估的方法、提高依从性的干预措施以及所面临的挑战，来审视沙特阿拉伯医生和药剂师管理药物依从性的方法。
使用自行填写的在线问卷进行了为期九个月的横断面研究。该研究针对在沙特阿拉伯积极工作的医生和药剂师。问卷通过专业网络分发，以确保获得广泛且具有代表性的样本。
共有397名医疗保健专业人员符合纳入标准，其中药剂师占81.1%，医生占18.9%。直接询问患者是最常见的评估方法，81.3%的医生和57.1%的药剂师经常或总是使用这种方法。治疗反应评估同样频繁（89.3%的医生和56.2%的药剂师）。诸如莫尔斯基药物依从性量表等标准化工具未得到充分利用（14.7%）。提高依从性的干预措施侧重于患者教育，89.3%的医生和74.2%的药剂师报告经常或总是使用这些措施。药剂师（65.8%）比医生（45.3%）更常使用书面信息。障碍包括工作量过大和咨询时间短（59.9%）、缺乏有效的依从性跟踪系统（51.9%）、缺乏可靠的依从性评估工具（48.9%）以及行为干预培训不足（48.1%）。
本研究揭示了沙特阿拉伯医生和药剂师在药物依从性管理实践方面存在显著差异，强调了他们各自不同的角色。包括工作量过大、咨询时间有限和跟踪系统不足在内的关键障碍阻碍了循证工具的采用。量身定制的干预措施、加强跨专业协作和系统支持对于应对这些挑战以及改善依从性管理至关重要，最终可提高患者的治疗效果。
