Public’s Perception of Pharmacy Services during Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Saudi Arabia

Yousef Ahmed Alomi; Sultan Mohammed Al-Jarallah; Dona Abdullah Alajmah; Shatha Alhassan Alnami

Abstract

International Journal of Pharmacology and Clinical Sciences,2021,10,3,102-110.

DOI:10.5530/ijpcs.2021.10.15

Published:September 2021

Type:Research Article

Authors:

Author(s) affiliations:

Yousef Ahmed Alomi*, Bsc. Pharm, Msc. Clin pharm, BCPS, BCNSP, DiBA, CDE Critical Care Clinical Pharmacists, TPN Clinical Pharmacist, Freelancer Business Planner, Content Editor and Data Analyst, P.O.BOX 100, Riyadh 11392, Riyadh, SAUDI ARABIA.

Sultan Mohammed Al-Jarallah, Head, Ambulatory Care Pharmacy, Oncology and Haematology Clinical Pharmacist, Pharmaceutical Care Department, Security Forces Hospital, Riyadh, SAUDI ARABIA.

Dona Abdullah Alajmah, Pharm. D, Batterjee Medical College, Jeddah, SAUDI ARABIA.

Shatha Alhassan Alnami, Pharm. D, Jazan University, Jazan, SAUDI ARABIA.

Abstract:

Goal: To exemplify the public’s perception of pharmacy services during COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia. Methods: It is three cross-sectional of convenient sampling and calculated number of the subject with power eighty. It was a self-reported electronic survey for the population in the King of Saudi Arabia. It encompassed all citizens who lived in Saudi with age more than 18 years and above. The survey contained of the demographic data patient’s perception of medication delivery service during COVID-19. Besides, the patient’s experiences of drug information inquiries were linked with the pharmacist during COVID-19. Survey monkey, Microsoft Excel, and Statistical Package of Social Science (SPSS) were used in this study. Results: The total number of responding pharmacists was 461. Of those, 440 (95.44%) were Saudi, and 344 (74.62%) were female, with statistical significance between nationality or gender answers (p<0.001). Almost two-thirds of the responders had bachelor’s degrees 319 (69.20%) with statistically noteworthy between among all academic qualifications (p<0.001). Most of the responders were non-healthcare professionals 338 (74.45%), and physicians and nurses illustrative high percentages 37 (35.92%) and 31 (30.10%), respectively, with statistically significant among the remaining answers (p<0.001). The total average scores of patient’s perception of medication delivery service during COVID-19 were 2.50. The high scores element was answering drug information inquiries (3.30), medications home delivery (2.80), and requesting medications through a mobile application (2.78). The total average scores of patient’s experiences of drug information inquiries communicated with a pharmacist during COVID-19 were 2.76 with high scores element was the drug administration inquiries (3.37). In addition, dosage/ schedule inquiries (3.29) and Pharmacoeconomics/medications cost inquiries (3.18) were also entailed. Conclusion: The public’s perception of medication delivery service and experiences of drug information inquiries transferred with the pharmacist during COVID-19 was not optimum. Therefore, targeting a strategic plan of hospital and community pharmacy services during pandemic situations is highly suggested. In addition, further studies of hospital and community pharmacy services individually during a pandemic or emergency public health are mandatory in Saudi Arabia.