Insight into Current Practices of Community Pharmacists in Topical Corticosteroid Prescribing and Counseling: Cross-Sectional Survey Study from Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: Topical corticosteroids are commonly used to treat several skin conditions, most notably atopic dermatitis. Many studies have found that patients lack knowledge about the safety, potency, and appropriate use of topical corticosteroids. This can be due to ineffective education by pharmacists and other healthcare providers. This study aims to evaluate the appropriateness of dispensing and counseling practices of community pharmacists towards topical corticosteroids in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey study was conducted in Saudi Arabia among 418 community pharmacists from different regions of Saudi Arabia. Data were collected using a validated questionnaire that covered community pharmacists' sociodemographic information, their perceptions of patient knowledge about topical corticosteroid use, and their dispensing and their counseling practices, in addition to their perceived barriers to counseling. RESULTS: The majority of the participating community pharmacists were Saudi (57.4%), female (66.7%), holding a bachelor's degree (63.4%), and full-time workers (91.1%). Most of the time, community pharmacists counseled patients on the frequency of application per day and the duration of treatment (75.8% and 74.8%, respectively). The median counseling practice score was 17, with an IQR of 14-21. The main barrier to counseling was lack of time (33.7%). Only 15% of community pharmacists accurately identified all scenarios that necessitate medical referrals. Dry skin, itchiness, and irritation were the most common side effects reported by community pharmacists for patients to complain about (69.4%). Most pharmacists agreed that misuse is the most likely cause of topical corticosteroid adverse drug events (53.7%), followed by medication overuse, such as patient self-treatment (48%). CONCLUSION: Community pharmacists counseling practices to their patients about the use of topical corticosteroids require improvement. Continuing education and hands-on training are needed for community pharmacists regarding counseling about topical corticosteroids use.

Knowledge and Perception of Pharmacy Students toward Telepharmacy Education in Saudi Arabia.

Telepharmacy education should be incorporated into the curricula due to its beneficial effects on students, providing pharmacy services during their practice. Therefore, this study aims to explore the knowledge and perceptions of pharmacy students regarding the integration of telepharmacy services into their education curriculum in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online survey from 1 June to 30 September 2023, among pharmacy students from five universities in Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire was divided into three sections, and descriptive statistics and a generalized linear model were used for analysis. A total of 523 pharmacy students participated. Approximately half of the students were aware of telepharmacy, and only one-quarter had studied it as part of their curriculum. Students believed that telepharmacy education should cover communication, reimbursement, and training for virtual patient interactions. There was a significant positive correlation (p < 0.0001) between the knowledge and perception scores. In addition, students who had heard about telepharmacy before and those with a "somewhat" confidence level showed a significantly positive correlation with knowledge scores (p = 0.01). In conclusion, perception scores, students who had heard of telepharmacy, and those with a "somewhat" confidence level were all positively correlated with pharmacy students' understanding of telepharmacy. This study underscores the importance of integrating telepharmacy education and practical training into pharmacy curricula to prepare future pharmacists for the evolving healthcare landscape.