Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 310 in total

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  1. Mubarak N, Raja SA, Khan AS, Kanwal S, Saif-Ur-Rehman N, Aziz MM, et al.
    Risk Manag Healthc Policy, 2021;14:1615-1627.
    PMID: 33907479 DOI: 10.2147/RMHP.S296113
    Background: There is a growing global interest in formulating such policies and strategic plans that help devise collaborative working models for community pharmacists (CPs) and general practitioners (GPs) in primary care settings.

    Objective: To conceptualize a stakeholder-driven framework to improve collaboration between CPs and GPs in Malaysian primary care to effectively manage medicines in chronic diseases.

    Design and Setting: A qualitative study that involved individual semi-structured interviews of the leadership of various associations, guilds, and societies representing CPs, GPs, and Nurses in Malaysia.

    Methods: This study collected and reported data in accordance with the guidelines of the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting of Qualitative Studies. Key informants were recruited based on purposive (expert) sampling. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and data were coded based on the principles of thematic analysis in NVivo.

    Results: A total of 12 interviews (5 CPs, 5 GPs, and 2 nurses) were conducted. Five themes emerged: Theme 1 highlighted a comparison of community pharmacy practice in Malaysia and developed countries; Theme 2 involved current practices in Malaysian primary care; Theme 3 encompassed the advantages of CP-GP collaboration in chronic diseases; Theme 4 highlighted the barriers which impede collaboration in Malaysian primary care; and Theme 5 delineated the way forward for CP-GP collaboration in Malaysia.

    Conclusion: The actionable insights obtained from the Malaysian stakeholders offered an outline of a framework to enhance collaboration between CPs and GPs in primary care. Generally, stakeholders were interested in CP-GP collaboration in primary care and identified many positive roles performed by CPs, including prescription review, adherence support, and patient education. The framework of the way forward includes: separation of CP and GP roles through a holistic revision of relevant legislation to grant an active role to CPs in chronic care; definition of protocols for collaborative practices; incentivization of both stakeholders (CPs and GPs); and design and implementation of an effective regulatory mechanism whereby the Malaysian Ministry of Health may take a leading role.

    Matched MeSH terms: Pharmacists
  2. Mubarak N, Raja SA, Khan TM, Zin CS
    J Pak Med Assoc, 2021 Mar;71(3):950-965.
    PMID: 34057955 DOI: 10.47391/JPMA.058
    Medicine use review is a tool to improve medication adherence and safety. Current narrative review was planned to explore global policies and practices of medicine use review by community pharmacists in chronic diseases and its impact and way forward for low- and middle-income countries. Key words, such as ″medicine use review″, ″medication therapy management″ and ″community pharmacy″ were used for search on PubMed and CINAHL databases for articles published from 2004 to 2019. Medicine use review has opened an avenue of ongoing collaboration between community pharmacists and general practitioners. High-income countries have witnessed a gradual yet cautious adoption of these services through effective policy shift. In terms of practices and impact, the situation in high-income countries was promising where on an average ″type-II″ medicine use review was widely in practice and had improved clinical, humanistic and economic outcomes in chronic disease. However, in low- and middle-income countries, a paucity of effective policies was noted. Nevertheless, an emergent recognition of the potential of community pharmacists to contribute to the management of chronic diseases was evident.
    Matched MeSH terms: Pharmacists*
  3. Mubarak N, Hatah E, Aris MAM, Shafie AA, Zin CS
    PLoS One, 2019;14(5):e0216563.
    PMID: 31075110 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216563
    BACKGROUND: The general problem is lack of inter-professional collaboration and the way private primary care responds to manage chronic diseases in Malaysia. Absence of prescription review, inadequate patient education, the highest percentage of prescribing errors and half of the chronic disease patients are nonadherent. Medicines are the most common and life long used interventions in chronic diseases. Hence, the need to manage medicine in chronic diseases becomes obligatory. As both general practitioner and community pharmacist can dispense medications, this has resulted in a business rivalry. There is a need to build consensus among various healthcare stakeholders for a collaborative medication therapy management model (CMTM) where community pharmacist has an active role in chronic care.

    METHOD: This study utilized modified e-Delphi method to build consensus. A validated e-Delphi survey was administered to a purposive sample of 29 experts. Consensus was pre-defined to be the point where >85% of the experts fall in either agree or strongly agree category for each statement. The inter-expert agreement was computed in both rounds using Intra-class correlation coefficient and Kendall's W. Delphi operates in an iterative fashion till there comes stability in responses. At the end of each round, experts were provided aggregate response, their own response and choice to change their response in the light of aggregate response.

    RESULTS: Response rate was 70.73% and 100% in 1st and 2nd round, respectively. Consensus was achieved on 119/132 statements which mainly referred to the need, structural and regulatory aspects of CMTM model in Malaysia. However, there were some flashpoints on dispensing separation and means to finance this model. Stability in response of experts was achieved after 2nd round; hence, no next round was executed.

    CONCLUSION: Overall, the study findings witnessed the expert panel's support for the CMTM model. Study helped to sketch CMTM model and facilitated development of some recommendations to the authorities which may help to formulate a policy to bring CPs under a working relationship with GPs. Hence, this study should be taken as a call for redefining of the roles of CPs and GPs in Malaysia.

    Matched MeSH terms: Pharmacists
  4. Mubarak N, Hatah E, Khan TM, Zin CS
    J Asthma Allergy, 2019;12:109-153.
    PMID: 31213852 DOI: 10.2147/JAA.S202183
    Objective: This systematic review aims to investigate the impact of collaborative practice between community pharmacist (CP) and general practitioner (GP) in asthma management. Methods: A systematic search was performed across 10 databases (PubMed, Medline/Ovid, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane central register of controlled trials, PsycARTICLES®, Science Direct, Education Resource Information Centre, PRO-Quest), and grey literature using selected MeSH and key words, such as "community pharmacist", "general practitioner", and "medicine use review". The risk of bias of the included studies was assessed by Cochrane risk of bias tool. All studies reporting any of the clinical, humanistic, and economical outcomes using collaborative practice between CPs and GPs in management of asthma, such as CPs conducting medications reviews, patient referrals or providing education and counseling, were included. Results: A total of 23 studies (six RCTs, four C-RCT, three controlled interventions, seven pre-post, and three case control) were included. In total, 11/14 outcomes were concluded in favor of CP-GP collaborative interventions with different magnitude of effect size. Outcomes, such as asthma severity, asthma control, asthma symptoms, PEFR, SABA usage, hospital visit, adherence, and quality of life (QoL) (Asthma Quality-of-Life Questionnaire [AQLQ]; Living with Asthma Questionnaire [LWAQ]) demonstrated a small effect size (d≥0.2), while inhalation technique, ED visit, and asthma knowledge witnessed medium effect sizes (ES) (d≥0.5). In addition to that, inhalation technique yielded large ES (d≥0.8) in RCTs subgroup analysis. However, three outcomes, FEV, corticosteroids usage, and preventer-to-reliever ratio, did not hold significant ES (d<0.2) and, thus, remain inconclusive. The collaboration was shown to be value for money in the economic studies in narrative synthesis, however, the limited number of studies hinder pooling of data in meta-analysis. Conclusion: The findings from this review established a comprehensive evidence base in support of the positive impact of collaborative practice between CP and GP in the management of asthma.
    Matched MeSH terms: Pharmacists*
  5. Alefishat E, Abu Farha R, Zawiah M
    PLoS One, 2021;16(8):e0256031.
    PMID: 34388191 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256031
    PURPOSE: The credibility and the reliability of Internet webpages to seek medication-related information is questionable. The main objective of the current study was to evaluate perception and experience of pharmacists with the use of Internet-based medication information by their patients.

    METHODS: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study that was conducted to evaluate perception and experience of pharmacists with the use of Internet-based medication information by their patients. During the study period, 200 pharmacists were approached to participate in the study using a paper-based survey to assess their perceptions and current experience with the use of Internet-based medication information by their patients. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean/standard deviation for continuous variables, and frequency/percentages for qualitative variables). Also, simple linear regression was utilized to screen factors affecting pharmacists' perception scores of the use of Internet-based medication information.

    RESULTS: Among 161 recruited pharmacists, the majority (n = 129, 80.1%) reported receiving inquiries from patients about Internet-based medication information within the last year. Among them, only 22.6% (n = 29) of pharmacists believed that Internet-based medication information is somewhat or very accurate. Unfortunately, only 24.2% (n = 31) of them stated that they always had enough time for their patient to discuss their Internet-based medication information. Regarding pharmacists' perception of the use of Internet-based medication information by their patients, more than half of the pharmacists (>50%) believe that Internet-based medication information could increase the patient's role in taking responsibility. On the other hand, 54.7% (n = 88) of the pharmacists believed that Internet-based medication information would contribute to rising the healthcare cost by obtaining unnecessary medications by patients. Finally, pharmacists' educational level was found to significantly affect their perception scores toward patient use of Internet-based medication information where those with higher educational level showed lower perception score (r = -0.200, P-value = 0.011).

    CONCLUSION: Although pharmacists felt that usage of Internet-based data by patients is beneficial, they also have believed that it has a negative impact in terms of rising the healthcare cost, and it promotes unnecessary fear or concern about medications. We suggest that pharmacists be trained on principles of critical appraisal to become professional in retrieval information on the Internet that might improve their delivery of healthcare information and their recommendations to patients.

    Matched MeSH terms: Pharmacists/psychology*
  6. Hasan SS, Kow CS, Zaidi STR
    Res Social Adm Pharm, 2021 02;17(2):456-459.
    PMID: 32387229 DOI: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2020.04.033
    Community pharmacists are one of the most accessible healthcare professionals and are often served as the first point of contact when it comes to minor ailments and health advice. As such, community pharmacists can play a vital role in a country's response to various preventative and public health measures amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the essential nature of community pharmacy as a health service, community pharmacies are unlikely to shut down in any foreseeable lockdown scenario. It is therefore important to assess the preventative measure directives for community pharmacies that are in place to safeguard community pharmacy personnel from SARS-CoV-2 in the various parts of the world. Upon reviewing the recommendations of 15 selected countries across five continents (Asia, Europe, Oceania, North America, and Africa) on social distancing and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) in community pharmacies, we found inconsistencies in the recommended social distance to be practiced within the community pharmacies. There were also varying recommendations on the use of PPE by the pharmacy personnel. Despite the differences in the recommendations, maintaining recommended social distance and the wearing of appropriate PPE is of utmost importance for healthcare workers, including community pharmacy personnel dealing with day-to-day patient care activities, though full PPE should be worn when dealing with suspected COVID-19 patients.
    Matched MeSH terms: Pharmacists
  7. Rohani N, Yusof MM
    Int J Med Inform, 2023 Feb;170:104958.
    PMID: 36608630 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2022.104958
    BACKGROUND: Pharmacy information systems (PhIS) can cause medication errors that pharmacists may overlook due to their increased workload and lack of understanding of maintaining information quality. This study seeks to identify factors influencing unintended consequences of PhIS and how they affect the information quality, which can pose a risk to patient safety.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: This qualitative, explanatory case study evaluated PhIS in ambulatory pharmacies in a hospital and a clinic. Data were collected through observations, interviews, and document analysis. We applied the socio-technical interactive analysis (ISTA) framework to investigate the socio-technical interactions of pharmacy information systems that lead to unintended consequences. We then adopted the human-organization-process-technology-fit (HOPT-fit) framework to identify their contributing and dominant factors, misfits, and mitigation measures.

    RESULTS: We identified 28 unintended consequences of PhIS, their key contributing factors, and their interrelations with the systems. The primary causes of unintended consequences include system rigidity and complexity, unclear knowledge, understanding, skills, and purpose of using the system, use of hybrid paper and electronic documentation, unclear and confusing transitions, additions and duplication of tasks and roles in the workflow, and time pressure, causing cognitive overload and workarounds. Recommended mitigating mechanisms include human factor principles in system design, data quality improvement for PhIS in terms of effective use of workspace, training, PhIS master data management, and communication by standardizing workarounds.

    CONCLUSION: Threats to information quality emerge in PhIS because of its poor design, a failure to coordinate its functions and clinical tasks, and pharmacists' lack of understanding of the system use. Therefore, safe system design, fostering awareness in maintaining the information quality of PhIS and cultivating its safe use in organizations is essential to ensure patient safety. The proposed evaluation approach facilitates the evaluator to identify complex socio-technical interactions and unintended consequences factors, impact, and mitigation mechanisms.

    Matched MeSH terms: Pharmacists
  8. Ching, Melissa Lim Ven, Chin, Ling Hui, Yin, Ng Wai
    MyJurnal
    Comfort and acceptance by healthcare professionals are crucial for effective operation of clinical pharmacy services. To date, there is no published report on the perceptions towards clinical pharmacy services from Tawau, Sabah or anywhere else in Malaysia. The objective of this study is to evaluate the comfort, perceptions and expectations of healthcare professionals towards the clinical pharmacy services in Tawau Hospital. This crosssectional, questionnaire-based study was carried out in 10 wards of Tawau Hospital with clinical pharmacy services, from June to July 2014. Validated questionnaires with consent were anonymously distributed to doctors and nurses. The self-administered questionnaires consisted of four sections: demographic, comfort level, expectations, and experiences dealing with clinical pharmacists. A 4-point Likert scale, where 1 = strongly disagree, while 4 = strongly agree, was used to indicate the level of agreement. Of 292 questionnaires administered, 269 were completed, giving a response rate of 92.1%. Compared to nurses, higher percentage of doctors were less comfortable with clinical pharmacists providing drugrelated education, suggesting the use of drugs to prescribers, designing pharmacotherapy regimes, and monitoring safety and outcomes of the designed regimens. The participants have great expectations, perceptions and experiences with clinical pharmacists of Tawau Hospital. Majority of the healthcare professionals who have direct contact with clinical pharmacists in their work were generally receptive and have high expectations towards patient-oriented clinical pharmacy services.
    Matched MeSH terms: Pharmacists
  9. Yeoh, Peng-Nam
    MyJurnal
    IMU is one of 17 institutions of higher learning conducting the Bachelor of Pharmacy course
    in Malaysia. The White paper on pharmacy student professionalism by the Task Force of the American Pharmaceutical Association Academy of Students of Pharmacy together with the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Council of Deans mentioned10 essential traits of a professional, recommending their early development. Since the beginning of theIMU Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm) (Hons) course in July 2004 on Registration Day, IMU has adopted the concept of developing professionalism in the pharmacy student from the very first day of university, by having the White Coat Ceremony where the entire class takes the Pledge of Professionalism (adapted from the Task Force) against the “Code of Conduct for Pharmacists and Bodies Corporate” by the Pharmacy Board of Malaysia in the presence of the Senior Director of the Pharmaceutical Services Division of the Ministry of
    Health, Malaysia and the President of the Malaysian Pharmaceutical Society (MPS). Throughout their 4 years in IMU, the pharmacy students are exposed to various aspects of professionalism in different subjects in their curriculum. On 23rd April 2012, when the fifth cohort of BPharm students received their final examination results, “Pharmacy Professional Day” was launched. The graduating students took the Oath of a Pharmacist (adapted from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy’s Oath with slight amendment). Talks by alumni and speakers from MPS aimed to facilitate the transition of the new graduate to working life as a pharmacist.
    Matched MeSH terms: Pharmacists
  10. Low QJ, Teo KZ, Lim TH, Cheo SW, Yap WYE
    Med J Malaysia, 2021 03;76(2):212-217.
    PMID: 33742630
    INTRODUCTION: Excessive ultraviolet light (UV) can cause premature skin aging and potentially skin cancer. Currently there is a lack of awareness among health care professionals and the public on sun protection. The objectives of this study were to determine knowledge on sunscreen and skin cancer among health care professionals, to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, practice and perception of doctors and pharmacists toward the usage of sunscreen as protection against UV radiation.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study conducted among doctors and pharmacists in Hospital Sultanah Nora Ismail, Batu Pahat, Johor, Malaysia. Questionnaires were used in this study.

    RESULTS: A total of 384 participants completed the questionnaires. The participants consisted of 323 doctors (84.1%) and 61 pharmacists (15.9%). The age group of the participants ranged between 25 till 55 years old. Ninety doctors (27.9%) and thirty-one pharmacists (51.0%) reported used sunscreen daily (p<0.001). This finding showed that there was a deficit in the practice of sun protection. Pharmacists scored a higher knowledge score of median 12 (IQR=3.0) while the doctors scored 11 (IQR=2.0). This study showed a significant association between ethnicity and skin cancer knowledge (p<0.05).

    CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated a lack of knowledge of sunscreen and skin cancer prevention among health care practitioners. This finding supports better medical education program on this topic.

    Matched MeSH terms: Pharmacists
  11. Khan TM, Khan AU, Ali I, Wu DB
    Vaccine, 2016 Mar 8;34(11):1393-8.
    PMID: 26845740 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2016.01.045
    A cross-sectional study was carried out among HCPs in Northwest General Hospital & Research Centre, Hayatabad Peshawar, Pakistan. The purpose of this study was to investigate knowledge, awareness and attitude of HCPs towards influenza vaccination. A total of N=170 questionnaires were distributed among the staff. There was a 97% response rate to this survey (n=165). The median age of the respondents was 30 years and most of them, 98 (59.0%), were from age group of 24-30 years. The majority of the HCPs that participated in this study were male 106 (64.2%), and by profession, the majority were physicians 77 (46.7%), followed by pharmacists and nurses. A majority 114 (69.1%) believed that it was not compulsory for HCPs to get vaccinated for influenza. Top three identified barriers to vaccination were: not everyone is familiar with the availability of the influenza vaccination at their institution (Relative importance weight factors (RIWF)=0.71), due to needle fear I do not like to get vaccinated (RIWF=0.70) and it is not compulsory for healthcare professionals to get vaccinated for influenza (RIWF=0.64). The logistic regression analysis has revealed association for job experience and profession with the most of the eleven knowledge item. However, when overall sum of eleven items were tested to identify the factors affecting the knowledge score, along with profession (-0.215 [-0.389 to 0.040]; p=0.016) and job experience (0.823 [0.521-1.125]; p<0.001) HCPs age (-0.409 [-0.755 to -0.064]; p=0.020) was found to be another significant factor affecting the total knowledge score of HCPs. Overall, scoring of the correct responses revealed that nurses have better knowledge and understanding about influenza and the influenza vaccination (6.5±0.8, p<0.001*), followed by pharmacists (6.3±1.14) and physicians. In spite of the published guidelines and recommendations, a very low percentage of the healthcare professionals in our hospital were vaccinated against influenza, and the barriers to vaccination were prevalent. Various strategies, including arranging seminars regarding awareness about vaccinations, are required to improve the knowledge and overall outcomes.
    Matched MeSH terms: Pharmacists
  12. Kan YM, Kho BP, Kong L, Chong QX, Tiong MNJ, Wong LMJ
    Int J Pharm Pract, 2022 Dec 31;30(6):520-525.
    PMID: 35942810 DOI: 10.1093/ijpp/riac063
    OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to explore the eye drop instillation technique of patients with glaucoma and whether a pharmacist-led counselling session can improve their technique. Patients' perceptions of pharmacists' role in providing the counselling were also explored.

    METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted between December 2020 and March 2021 at Sarawak General Hospital, Malaysia. Convenience sampling was used to recruit patients with glaucoma who self-administered their eye drops. Participants' background information were obtained using an investigator-administered questionnaire before their eye drop instillation technique was assessed. Those with imperfect techniques were counselled by a pharmacist before being reassessed. Differences in eye drop instillation competency were determined using paired T-test.

    KEY FINDINGS: A total of 138 participants were recruited. Participants were on a median of two eye drops (IQR 2-4) for a median of five years (IQR 2-8). Prior to being counselled, they demonstrated a mean total of 8.4/13 steps (SD 2.33) correctly. A statistically significant improvement in eye drop instillation technique was observed post-pharmacists' counselling, with a mean increase of 4.3 steps demonstrated correctly (95% CI, 4.0 to 4.7, P < 0.001). The majority of participants agreed that pharmacists are knowledgeable in providing counselling on eye drop administration techniques.

    CONCLUSIONS: Patients with glaucoma treated at Sarawak General Hospital had imperfect eye drop instillation techniques, despite most having used their eye drops for several years. Interventions by pharmacists to improve eye drop instillation are crucial to optimise the medical treatment of patients with glaucoma.

    Matched MeSH terms: Pharmacists*
  13. Winit-Watjana W
    Int J Pharm Pract, 2016 Dec;24(6):428-436.
    PMID: 27339891 DOI: 10.1111/ijpp.12281
    OBJECTIVE: Pharmacy practice has gradually evolved with the paradigm shifted towards patient-focused practice or medicines optimisation. The advancement of pharmacy-related research has contributed to this progression, but the philosophy of research remained unexplored. This review was thus aimed to outline the succinct concept of research philosophy and its application in pharmacy practice research.

    KEY FINDINGS: Research philosophy has been introduced to offer an alternative way to think about problem-driven research that is normally conducted. To clarify the research philosophy, four research paradigms, i.e. positivism (or empiricism), postpositivism (or realism), interpretivism (or constructivism) and pragmatism, are investigated according to philosophical realms, i.e. ontology, epistemology, axiology and logic of inquiry. With the application of research philosophy, some examples of quantitative and qualitative research were elaborated along with the conventional research approach. Understanding research philosophy is crucial for pharmacy researchers and pharmacists, as it underpins the choice of methodology and data collection.

    CONCLUSIONS: The review provides the overview of research philosophy and its application in pharmacy practice research. Further discussion on this vital issue is warranted to help generate quality evidence for pharmacy practice.

    Matched MeSH terms: Pharmacists/organization & administration
  14. Wahab MSA, Sakthong P, Winit-Watjana W
    Res Social Adm Pharm, 2020 04;16(4):475-487.
    PMID: 31255476 DOI: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2019.06.014
    BACKGROUND: The factors associated with the provision of pharmacist's care (PCare) for herbal and dietary supplement (HDS) users are multidimensional. These factors should be investigated to assess the needs for community pharmacists (CPs) to provide the service. However, at present, there are no validated and reliable theory-based instruments to measure the factors.

    OBJECTIVES: The study aims to develop and validate scales (direct and indirect) based on a modified Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to measure factors associated with the provision of PCare for HDS users by Thai CPs.

    METHOD: Item generation for the scales was based on the theoretical constructs of the modified TPB framework, literature review, and authors' previous qualitative study. Draft items were then subjected to content validity and face validity. Psychometric testing was carried out among CPs in Bangkok, Thailand. Refinement of the scales utilized factor analysis and validity was assessed using factor analysis and Rasch analysis. Internal consistency reliability and construct reliability were used to assess the scales' reliability.

    RESULTS: Initially, the direct and indirect scales contained 15 and 28 items, respectively and were reduced to 12 and 16 items, after experts' review. Factor analysis further reduced the number of items of the indirect scale to 13. For both scales, confirmatory factor analysis showed model-data fit. Each construct of the direct scale was significant predictors of intention. Moreover, each construct of the direct scale correlated positively and significantly with the respective construct of the indirect scale, signifying concurrent validity. No misfit item was identified in the Rasch analysis and the majority of items were invariant across gender. Internal consistency reliability and construct reliability of the scales were acceptable.

    CONCLUSION: This study presents the development and validation of theoretically-grounded scales to measure the factors associated with the provision of PCare for HDS users by Thai CPs.

    Matched MeSH terms: Pharmacists*
  15. Hassan F, Hatah E, Ali AM, Wen CW
    BMC Health Serv Res, 2023 Jan 18;23(1):46.
    PMID: 36653832 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-022-08977-1
    BACKGROUND: There is increasing intervention activities provided during pharmacist-led diabetes management. Nevertheless, there is an unclear definition of the activities involved during the intervention. Thus, this study aimed to describe the type of intervention strategies and service model provided during pharmacist-led type 2 diabetes management and service outcomes.

    METHODS: This study utilized the scoping review methodology of the Joanna Briggs Institute Reviewers' Manual 2015. Articles on pharmacist-led diabetes management focusing on the service content, delivery methods, settings, frequency of appointments, collaborative work with other healthcare providers, and reported outcomes were searched and identified from four electronic databases: Ovid Medline, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science from 1990 to October 2020. Relevant medical subject headings and keywords, such as "diabetes," "medication adherence," "blood glucose," "HbA1c," and "pharmacist," were used to identify published articles.

    RESULTS: The systematic search retrieved 4,370 articles, of which 61 articles met the inclusion criteria. The types of intervention strategies and delivery methods were identified from the studies based on the description of activities reported in the articles and were tabulated in a summary table.

    CONCLUSION: There were variations in the descriptions of intervention strategies, which could be classified into diabetes education, medication review, drug consultation/counseling, clinical intervention, lifestyle adjustment, self-care, peer support, and behavioral intervention. In addition, most studies used a combination of two or more intervention strategy categories when providing services, with no specific pattern between the service model and patient outcomes.

    Matched MeSH terms: Pharmacists
  16. Lee JK, Collins B, Pepper E, Alvarez NA, Warholak T
    Am J Pharm Educ, 2023 Jun;87(6):100063.
    PMID: 37316138 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpe.2023.100063
    OBJECTIVE: Leadership development is necessary for student pharmacists to become pharmacist leaders, but no readily usable standard measurement of student attitudes toward and beliefs about leadership exists. To assess the reliability and validity evidence for using the Leadership Attitudes and Beliefs Scale (LABS-III), originally developed and validated in Malaysia, for use with student pharmacists in the United States.

    METHODS: The 2-unit leadership course was piloted among second- and third-year students in a public college of pharmacy with a 4-year doctor of pharmacy curriculum. The participating students completed the LABS-III during the first and last classes as part of a quality improvement measure for course enhancement. Rasch analysis was then used to assess the reliability and validity evidence for the LABS-III.

    RESULTS: A total of 24 students participated in the pilot course. The pre and postcourse surveys had 100% and 92% response rates, respectively. After Rasch analysis model fit was achieved, the item separation for the 14 nonextreme items was 2.19 with an item reliability of 0.83. The person separation index was 2.16 with a person reliability of 0.82.

    CONCLUSION: The Rasch analysis revealed that the number of LABS-III items should be decreased and that the 3-point response scale should be used to improve functionality and use in classroom settings for PharmD students in the United States. Further research is needed to augment the reliability and validity evidence of the modified instrument for use at other United States colleges of pharmacy.

    Matched MeSH terms: Pharmacists*
  17. Abdullah B, Snidvongs K, Recto M, Poerbonegoro NL, Wang Y
    Multidiscip Respir Med, 2020 Jan 28;15(1):726.
    PMID: 33376593 DOI: 10.4081/mrm.2020.726
    Background: In primary care, general practitioners (GPs) and pharmacists are tasked with the frontline responsibility of identifying and managing allergic rhinitis (AR) patients. There are currently no consolidated data on current treatment practices, patient compliance, and usage of guidelines within Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Objective: To assess the attitudes and practices on AR of GPs and pharmacists in 4 ASEAN countries (Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia).

    Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 329 GPs and 548 pharmacists was conducted from May to November 2019. Participants answered a questionnaire focused on their i) current practice in the management of AR, ii) views on patient compliance, iii) understanding and usage of guidelines.

    Results: Clinical history was the most preferred method to diagnose AR by 95.4% of GPs and 58.8% of pharmacists. Second-generation antihistamines were the most widely available treatment option in GP clinics and pharmacies (94.8% and 97.2%) and correspondingly the most preferred treatment for both mild (90.3%, 76.8%) to moderatesevere rhinitis (90.3%, 78.6%) by GPs and pharmacists, respectively. Loratadine was ranked as the most preferred 2nd generation antihistamines (GP vs pharmacists: 55.3% vs 58.9%). More than 90% of GPs and pharmacists ranked length and efficacy of treatment as important factors that increase patient compliance. Awareness of the ARIA guidelines was high among GPs (80%) and lower among pharmacists (48.4%). However, only 63.3% of GPs and 48.2% of pharmacists knew how to identify AR patients.

    Conclusions: The survey in the 4 ASEAN countries has identified a need to strengthen the awareness and use of ARIA guidelines among the primary care practitioners. Adherence to ARIA guidelines, choosing the appropriate treatment option and prioritizing factors that increases patient compliance may contribute to better management outcomes of AR at the primary care practice.

    Matched MeSH terms: Pharmacists
  18. Rajiah K, Ving CJ
    J Int Soc Prev Community Dent, 2014 Nov;4(Suppl 1):S56-62.
    PMID: 25452930 DOI: 10.4103/2231-0762.144601
    Community pharmacies are now frequently being visited by customers/patients to seek oral advice. Malaysian community pharmacists are also found to be experiencing an increased demand of oral health advices by their visiting customers.
    Matched MeSH terms: Pharmacists
  19. Pei, Lin Lua, Umar Idris Ibrahim
    MyJurnal
    Recently, the integration of mobile phone apps into healthcare system is increasing as a result of the availability of medical applications. This study determined the perception of readiness of community pharmacists on the use of mobile smartphone as a health monitoring tool and the relationships between perception and readiness with selected demographic variables of the respondents. Methods: A crosssectional survey was conducted by distributing a modified 15-item instrument to a convenience sample of pharmacists (n = 245) across Malaysia by post. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 20. Results: Response rate was 31.4% (n= 77). The mean age of the respondents was 35.5 ± 6. 52 years. The sample consisted of mostly women (71.4%). Overall, there were moderate “positive responses” across the two domains. Positive perception ranged from 54.5% to 66.2% and positive readiness ranged from 55.8% to 64.9%. No significant associations between perception and readiness with the selected demographic variables were detected (age, gender, location and outlet type). Conclusions: This study demonstrated that there was generally positive perception of mobile phone use for pharmaceutical care among community pharmacists in Malaysia. They were also ready to adapt it to improve pharmaceutical care delivery to patients.
    Matched MeSH terms: Pharmacists
  20. Lim KY, Tham HW
    Health services insights, 2020;13:1178632920921425.
    PMID: 32528223 DOI: 10.1177/1178632920921425
    Background: Zika fever is a mosquito-borne disease with global health concern. It has been underreported or misdiagnosed due to its unspecific clinical manifestations, including mild-influenza like and subclinical symptoms. However, its associated serious complications which include fetal microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome remained a challenge to the public health sectors. This research aimed to evaluate the knowledge, awareness, and perception toward Zika virus infection among community pharmacists in the Klang Valley of Malaysia and to determine the association between the knowledge of Zika virus infectious disease and years of community practice experience among community pharmacists in this region.

    Methods: This survey research was conducted from August to December 2018 through a pre-tested, self-administration, and cross-sectional random convenient sampling at various districts in the Klang Valley. A total of 275 registered community pharmacists were involved in this study by completing a pilot-tested questionnaire. Descriptive analysis, Mann-Whitney U test, and Kruskal-Wallis H test were used to analyze the data.

    Results: The knowledge toward Zika virus infection of respondents was classified into "poor" (5.1%), "basic" (70.9%), and "broad" (24.0%). Most of the participants (n = 195, 70.9%) presented with basic knowledge toward Zika virus infection. A total of 268 (97.5%) participants presented with high awareness toward Zika virus infection. The mean score of respondents' knowledge and awareness was 15.88 ± 3.61 (maximum score = 28) and 13.96 ± 1.60 (maximum score = 16), respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between the years of practice of community pharmacists and the level of knowledge toward Zika virus infection.

    Conclusions: In conclusion, our respondents demonstrated a basic level of knowledge and high awareness toward Zika virus infection. Also, we highlighted some possible pitfalls in the knowledge of Zika virus infection, including the virus transmission, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and complications of the disease.

    Matched MeSH terms: Pharmacists
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