AWARENESS OF COMMUNITY PHARMACIST AND PATIENTS ABOUT THE DRUG RELATED PROBLEMS
*Dr. Rayan Elrasheed Ballal and, Prof. Abdalla Omer ElKhawad
ABSTRACT
Background: A drug-related problem (DRP) is defined as an event or circumstance that actually or potentially interferes with desired health outcomes. It can lead to ineffective pharmacotherapy. Most DRPs are avoidable and community pharmacies are assuming an active role in preventing and solving DRPs. Objective: to identify the awareness of community pharmacists and patients about the drug related problems. Method: a descriptive, cross sectional study conducted in Khartoum state. the data collected through visits to pharmacies (35 pharmacy) in Alhawadith street and randomly selected patients (60 patients) through checklists consisting of questions about the DRPs. Results: the study revealed poor knowledge of the pharmacists and patients about the drug related problems. Although most of the pharmacists had correctly defined drug related problems (DRPs), yet the studied community pharmacists do not give enough information to the patients regarding
the correct use of the drug. Studied community pharmacists usually dispense drugs less than 10 times without a prescription during the day which will keep morbidity and mortality at a low rate Conclusion: Pharmacists in the community pharmacy have a poor knowledge about the DRPs and don’t give complete information about the correct use of the drug to the patients. Ensuring the proper use of both prescription and OTC drugs is one of the basic responsibilities of pharmacists. This specific role of pharmacists within the healthcare system needs to be more fully recognized.
Keywords: drug related problems, medication related problems, community pharmacy.
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