Prevalence, factors associated and management of needle phobia among the general population in Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the prevalence of needle phobia among Saudi and Egyptian adult populations. In addition, underlying causes and strategies that can be utilized to address needle fear were investigated. METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey study was conducted in Saudi Arabia and Egypt between 1 May and 30 June 2023. Participants aged 18 years and above and living in Saudi Arabia and Egypt were eligible to complete the survey. Participants were invited to participate in this study through social media platforms (Facebook, X, Snapchat, and Instagram). A convenience sampling technique was used to recruit the study participants. A 21-item questionnaire consisting of four sections including a Likert scale score was used to answer the research objectives. Numeric data were presented as mean ± SD. For categorical variables, percentages were used. Comparison between groups were made by Student's t-test or Mann Whitney test according to data distribution. Chi squared tests for categorical values were conducted. A binary logistic regression analysis was conducted to investigate factors associated with needle phobia. RESULTS: A total of 4065 participants were involved in this study (Saudi Arabia: 2628 and Egypt: 1437). Around one-third of the study participants (36.5%) confirmed that they have needle phobia. Most of the study participants (81.1%) reported that they have had needle phobia since they were under 18 years of age. Pain, general anxiety, and fear of making a mistake during the procedure were the most commonly reported contributors for fear of needles during or before a medical procedure. Around 15.8% of the study participants reported that they have tried to get rid of phobia from needles. Non-surgical alternatives (such as oral medications and patches) and using smaller/thinner needles were the most commonly reported interventions that reduced fear of needles. Binary logistic regression analysis identified that females, those who are aged (41-50 years), widowed, those with bachelor's degrees and higher education, and those unemployed were more likely to have needle phobia compared to others. CONCLUSION: Our study highlighted the high prevalence of needle fear within an adult population in Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Females, those who are aged (41-50 years), those widowed, those with higher education degrees, those unemployed, those working in the health sector and people with low income were more likely to have needle phobia compared to others.

Nomophobia among university students in five Arab countries in the Middle East: prevalence and risk factors.

BACKGROUND: Excessive use of mobile phones leading to development of symptoms suggestive of dependence syndrome with teenagers are far more likely to become dependent on mobile phones as compared to adults. COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on the mental health of several groups in society, especially university students. This study aimed to explore the prevalence of mobile phone dependence among university students and its associated factors. METHODS: Between September 2021 and January 2022, a cross-sectional study was conducted at universities in Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia utilizing an online and paper-based self-administered questionnaire. We employed a previously developed questionnaire by Aggarwal et al. RESULTS: A total of 5,720 university students were involved in this study (Egypt = 2813, Saudi Arabia = 1509, Jordan = 766, Lebanon = 432, and Bahrain = 200). The mean estimated daily time spent on using mobile phone was 186.4 (94.4) minutes. The highest mobile dependence score was observed for the university students from Egypt and the lowest mobile dependence score was observed for the university students from Lebanon. The most common dependence criteria across the study sample was impaired control (55.6%) and the least common one was harmful use (25.1%). Females and those reported having anxiety problem or using a treatment for anxiety were at higher risk of developing mobile phone dependence by 15% and 75%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Mobile phone dependence is common among university students in Arab countries in the Middle East region. Future studies exploring useful interventions to decrease mobile phone dependence are warranted.

Spontaneous adverse drug reaction reporting by community pharmacists: preparedness and barriers.

Background: Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are undesired, unintended responses to drugs, and are significantly underreported. Pharmacists are drug experts recognized as custodians of drug safety, who are expected to be prepared for and knowledgeable about ADR reporting. Objectives: To identify Egyptian community pharmacists' preparedness for and perceived barriers to spontaneous ADR reporting. Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited a sample of community pharmacists across Egypt, who were invited to complete a self-administrated questionnaire during April 2020. Results: A total of 923 pharmacists across Egypt responded to the questionnaire. Most pharmacists were knowledgeable about the definition of ADRs (93.9 %) and indicated they felt reporting ADRs benefits the patients (82.2%). Despite recognizing their public health value, only a small percentage of participants conveyed familiarity with the reporting process for both paper (19.2%) and electronic (30.4%) forms, indeed 56.6% of participants did not remember what the ADR report form looked like. Moreover, 75.4% of respondents said they felt that community pharmacies are not the right place for reporting, with 49% suggesting that reporting was the responsibility of physicians. However, only 32.1% reported having insufficient time being a barrier to ADR reporting. Conclusions: Community pharmacists in Egypt are not well prepared for spontaneous ADR reporting due to a lack of knowledge about the formal process and not acknowledging their responsibility, although time was not a major barrier. Therefore, this highlights a clear opportunity for improvement likely involving targeted education.

Pandemic preparedness of Egyptian community pharmacists and potential facilitators to the successful implementation of a community pharmacy coronavirus disease 2019 referral service: a cross-sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic resulted in an increased need for essential community services including new roles for pharmacists. Globally, community pharmacists are a highly accessible point of contact for referral. OBJECTIVE: To assess the preparedness of and facilitators to community pharmacists referring patients with suspected COVID-19 symptoms for testing. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was administered using a structured questionnaire to 1023 pharmacists (one respondent in each pharmacy) in Egypt between 17 and 30 May 2020. RESULTS: Pharmacists who had received pandemic referral training were significantly more familiar with the referral system in comparison to those who had not (n = 180; 17.6% vs. n = 841; 82.4%, P = .014). Case referral was significantly associated with the referrer (n = 161, 15.8%), demographics of region (P = .001), graduation year (P = .035), and gender (P = .015). The vast majority of respondents identified facilitators to referring, namely university-level teaching (n = 984, 96.7%), continuing professional development (n = 958, 94.3%), smartphone app (n = 809, 80.5%) or telephone hotline (n = 933, 91.5%), IT access (n = 861, 84.7%), and managing patients' attitudes through the media in terms of the importance of declaring symptoms to (n = 998, 97.7%) and cooperating with (n = 977, 96.2%) referrers. CONCLUSIONS: Pharmacists' lack of preparedness to engage with the referral process and related roles contributing to tracking the national COVID-19 infection rate could be mitigated by the provision of facilitators suggested by respondents. These included improved cooperation from local healthcare authorities, educational interventions, technological solutions, and the use of the media. Demographics associated with pharmacists' attitudes to referral, and hence the reliability and validity of the national infection rate, demand further investigation.

Evaluating the influence of a 3-min online video on the community knowledge of stroke in four Arab countries.

Introduction: Studies from developed and developing countries showed that the knowledge levels of stroke need improvement. Educational campaigns varied and were of limited influence predominantly because of their short duration and the need for financial support. The study aims to test the impact of a 3-min online video on the knowledge of stroke and factors influencing the knowledge score in four Arab countries. Methods: A cross-sectional web-based pre-post study was conducted in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and the United Arab Emirates. The data were collected using the snowball technique. Participants were adults aged 18 years and above. The questionnaire sequence was conducting a pretest, followed by the educational video explaining stroke occurrence, types, risks, warning signs, preventive measures, and treatment, and finally, a posttest to evaluate the differences in knowledge from baseline. Statistical analysis included paired t-tests comparing pre-post-education stroke knowledge scores, while repeated measures ANOVA, adjusting for covariates, assessed mean changes. Results: The total number of participants was 2,721, mainly younger than 55 years. The majority had a university degree and were not healthcare professionals. A significant improvement was noted in the total knowledge score in all countries from a mean average (Mpretest = 21.11; Mposttest = 23.70) with p < 0.001. Identification of the stroke risks (Mpretest = 7.40; Mposttest = 8.75) and warning signs (Mpretest = 4.19; Mposttest = 4.94), understanding the preventive measures (Mpretest = 5.27; Mposttest = 5.39) and the importance of acting fast (Mpretest = 0.82; Mposttest = 0.85) improved from baseline with (p < 0.001) for all score components. Conclusion: The educational tool successfully enhanced public understanding of stroke risks, the identification of stroke signs, and the critical need for emergency action. The advantages of this video include its short length, free online access, use of evidence-based content in lay language, and reflective images. The ultimate goal remains the long-term improvement of sustainability by mandating full-scale trials.

Knowledge, attitude, and practices of pharmacy students in 7 Middle Eastern countries concerning antibiotic resistance: A cross-sectional study.

Addressing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) stands as a major global health challenge threatening humanity. Resolving this issue can be initiated through emphasizing the significance of AMR education among students in health colleges during their undergraduate studies. Hence, the aim of this study is to assess the pharmacy students' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding antibiotic resistance in 7 Middle Eastern countries. A cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate pharmacy students at universities in Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Kuwait between March 2021 and January 2022. The first section of the questionnaire gathered demographic information. The knowledge section comprised 7 questions. Subsequently, the questionnaire explored participants' attitudes (6 items) and practices (2 items) concerning antibiotic resistance. Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to compare the median knowledge score between different demographic groups. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios, with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for being more knowledgeable about antibiotic resistance. A 2-sided P < .05 was considered statistically significant. A total of 4265 pharmacy students were involved in this study (Egypt (2249), Jordan (n = 704), Saudi Arabia (n = 531), Lebanon (n = 401), United Araba Emirates (n = 130), Qatar (n = 129), and Kuwait (n = 121)). The median knowledge score for the participating pharmacy students was 5.00 (IQR = 4.00-6.00) out of 7, equals to 71.4% with 4th, and 5th year students and bachelor of pharmacy program students have higher odds of being more knowledgeable about antibiotics resistance compared to other students (P < .05). The majority of the students agreed that antibiotic resistance is increasing, they should be more concerned regarding antibiotic consumption and that government should create more awareness of antibiotic resistance, and that they should have enough knowledge to prevent antibiotic resistance. Around 3 quarters of the students (73.0%) confirmed that they take antibiotic only after getting prescription from their physician and almost half (51.7%) reported that they take antibiotic to manage their fever. The study concluded good educational programs in Middle East pharmacy schools with the need for targeted educational interventions promoting responsible antibiotic stewardship practices among future pharmacists.

Barriers to Community Pharmacists Referring Patients With Suspected COVID-19 Symptoms.

Background: With the necessary skills available to community pharmacists, they are well equipped to relieve pressure on hospitals and general practices by providing referral services for symptomatic patients for COVID-19 testing. Objective: The assessment of potential barriers that limit the successful implementation of a community pharmacy referral service for patients with suspected COVID-19 symptoms. Methods: A questionnaire comprising of 100 questions was administered to one pharmacist by interview in 1023 working community pharmacies in 4 regions of Egypt between May 17 and May 30th 2020. Results: Forty-five barriers were identified. Respondents (79%, n = 803) had difficulty obtaining an accurate patient history. Patient data confidentiality was a significant issue for pharmacists who had not received referral training, with these respondents being significantly (P = .010) less able to differentiate between COVID-19 and similar conditions. Respondents (68.8%, n = 698) were not confident in determining whether COVID-19 was the cause of the patient's presenting symptoms. A large majority (73.7%, n = 747) of respondents were worried about referring misdiagnosed patients and were concerned about the negative implications of proceeding with such a referral, including legal consequences. Of Respondents (71.7%, n = 727) reported that online referral was not easy, and 71.6% (n = 722) were unable to locate paper referral forms. Only a small number of pharmacists (11%, n = 112) preferred to report a referral in their own name. Conclusions: This study has demonstrated the potential of the community pharmacist's role as a point of referral for COVID-19 testing, and identified some major barriers to implementation of this. The lack of pharmacists' education, legal support, availability of referral forms, clarity of responsibility and unsupportive management teams are key obstacles that must be overcome for the successful implementation of a COVID-19 referral service.

Community pharmacy practice related to the COVID-19 pandemic: barriers and facilitators.

BACKGROUND: Community pharmacies provide an important healthcare service. Their significant value has been further highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. OBJECTIVES: To identify and categorize potential barriers and facilitators to the role of community pharmacists during the pandemic and their association with demographic factors. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of community pharmacists was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire during April 2020 across all regions of Egypt. KEY FINDINGS: Respondents (n = 1018; 98.4% response rate) revealed practical and psychological barriers, including inadequate levels of pandemic preparedness (mean 61.43%; ±SD 0.47), inadequate working environments (mean 56.23%; ±SD 0.49) and uncooperative behaviour from stakeholders (mean 65.3%; ±SD 0.47).The majority of respondents emphasized the universal, region-independent necessity for facilitators, including the availability of timely (94.9%) guidance (97.4%) published by the Egyptian healthcare authority (94.6%), in electronic format (82.1%), through smartphone application (80.0%) and the provision of a dedicated telephone hotline (89.5%). Furthermore, authorities must use the media to manage public perceptions (97.2%) and increase public trust (94.8%) towards the pharmacist. CONCLUSIONS: The barriers and facilitators identified herein could improve service provision in an integrated manner by overcoming the reported inadequate level of preparedness (barrier) through the provision of electronic guidance (facilitator), and the use of the media in managing public perceptions and trust (facilitators) to reduce the panic that negatively affects the working environment (barrier) for pharmacy staff. The varied level of healthcare authority cooperation reported in many regions requires further investigation.

Involvement of pharmacy students in scientific research activities in Vietnam.

INTRODUCTION: Scientific research is a crucial section of health-related student education to ensure the competence of graduates. This study is the first to explore attitudes on research, willingness and motivation to conduct research, and barriers preventing this amid pharmacy students in Can Tho, Vietnam. METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey was performed on undergraduate pharmacy students (years four and five) from three public and private universities in Can Tho, Vietnam between April and May 2021. RESULTS: Of the 576 respondents, the majority accredited the significance of conducting research to the field of pharmacy (85.9%) with the motivation of improving the profession (81.6%). Public university respondents were more than twice as likely to have a positive attitude toward research (odds ratio [OR] = 2.88, 95% CI = 1.32-6.27) and be willing to conduct research (OR = 5.73, 95%CI = 3.5-9.37) than their private university counterparts. Very good or excellent academic performance was associated with a positive attitude (OR = 3.09, 95% CI = 1.46-6.53), willingness (OR = 3.2, 95%CI = 1.7-6.03), and increased motivation (OR = 2.42, 95% CI = 1.26-4.64) toward conducting research compared to respondents with average or lower academic performance. A lack of experience (63.5%), knowledge and skills (46%), and research training (51.7%) were the most common personal and systemic barriers to conducting research. CONCLUSIONS: Most students reported having a positive attitude and strong motivation toward research. These findings revealed an opportunity for pharmacy policymakers and educators to utilize national strategy to improve pharmacy education and the profession.

Pandemic preparedness of community pharmacies for COVID-19.

Background: Community pharmacies provide an important healthcare service, which is broadly established, and constitutes the preferred and initial contact for members of the community. The significant value of community pharmacies was further highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. Objective: The assessment of community pharmacies preparedness for the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional interview survey of 1018 community pharmacies working in four regions of Egypt (South, East, Centre, and North). Data collection was conducted from 8-19 April 2020. Results: Availability of personal protective equipment (PPE) and medication was better than alcohol (70% conc.). Home delivery services were available in 49.1% of pharmacies. Infection control measures covering interactions between staff were in place in up to 99.5% of pharmacies. Conversely, there was less frequent availability of contactless payment (29.1%), hand sanitizers (62.1%) or masks (86.5%) for customer use, or a separate area for patients with suspected COVID-19 (64%). Verbal customer education (90.4%) was used preferably to written (81.3%). Despite high clinical knowledge and awareness (97.6%-99.2%), only 8.8% of pharmacists had reported suspected COVID-19 cases, however this varied significantly with pharmacist demographics (geographic region P < 0.001; pandemic training p < 0.001; position p = 0.019; age p = 0.046). Conclusions: Government and policymakers strive to mitigate the shortage of PPE and medication. More attention should be given to infection control measures around interactions between staff and customers to ensure community pharmacists are fit and able to provide continuity in their important role. Educating customers using regularly-updated posters, banners or signs will contribute to decreasing contact with patients, and reducing the number and duration of visits to the pharmacy. Pandemic preparedness of community pharmacists must also extend to reporting procedures. By avoiding under-reporting or over-reporting, community pharmacists will contribute to accurate monitoring of the national spread of infection.