METHODS: This was an observational, cross-sectional survey using a convenience sampling method conducted at the University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) In-Patient Pharmacy. A validated online questionnaire assessed user satisfaction and task duration.
RESULTS: A total of 21 pharmacists and 18 pharmacy assistants participated in the survey. Most pharmacists (n = 17/21) were confident in the system, and both pharmacists and pharmacy assistants perceived it to be beneficial for patients (n = 33/39) and for reducing medication errors (n = 32/39). Pharmacy assistants spent approximately 5.34 hours on traditional work including filling medication orders (1.44 hours) after automated tablet dispensing and packaging system (ATDPS) implementation. Pharmacists spent 1.19 hours filling medication orders and 1.71 hours checking/verifying them, in contrast.
CONCLUSION: Pharmacists focused mainly on clinical duties with healthcare colleagues, while pharmacy assistants handled various medication orders. Nevertheless, ATDPS reduced pharmacy staff workload in medication handling, achieving user satisfaction.
METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted by systematically searching electronic databases.
KEY FINDINGS: The pooled analysis of the included trials revealed that the use of uricosurics was not associated with the risk of mortality (pooled odds ratio [OR] = 1.03, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.94-1.12). However, there is a potential mortality benefit associated with the use of ascorbic acid (pooled OR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.65-0.94).
CONCLUSIONS: The findings confirmed the safety of uricosurics in COVID-19 patients, despite their potential to cause uric acid excretion, which may possess antioxidant properties.
OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to formulate and examine the validity and reliability of the Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Skin Cancer Questionnaire (KAP-SC-Q).
METHODS: The research was conducted in two phases. Phase I included the generation and construction of items, content validity, and pilot testing. In Phase II, the questionnaire was distributed to 370 non-health background public adults in Malaysia. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were ascertained using Item Response Theory (IRT) for the knowledge domain, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) for the attitude and practice segments, and Cronbach's alpha.
RESULTS: The definitive version of the KAP-SC-Q had 108 items, divided into 17 social demographic, 30 knowledge, 32 attitude, and 29 practice items. Knowledge items had an acceptable range of 0.4-2.0 in the IRT. The EFA revealed that attitude and practice sections contributed to 34.25% and 52.94% of the total observed variance, respectively. The Cronbach's α coefficient was 0.85, signifying good internal consistency.
CONCLUSION: The study validated that KAP-SC-Q exhibits commendable psychometric attributes, marking it as a trustworthy instrument to assess the public's knowledge, attitude, and practices concerning skin cancer.