Respiratory syncytial virus in pediatric patients admitted to a tertiary center in Amman: clinical characteristics, and age-related patterns.

BACKGROUND: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common cause of acute lower respiratory tract infections, particularly in infants and young children during winter. We aimed to study the demographics and clinical characteristics of RSV infections and age-related patterns. METHODS: This retrospective study evaluated pediatric respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections conducted in Jordan from September 2021 to March 2022. Patients under the age of five who had viral polymerase chain reaction results showing RSV infection from nasopharyngeal aspiration were included. In addition, demographic information, medical history, and clinical data were gathered. These included comorbidities, outcomes, length of stay, ICU hospitalization, use of antibiotics, and oxygen supplementation. RESULTS: A total of 199 patients were included. Most patients were males (56.8%) and less than one year (43.7%). Children aged between 1 and 2 years presented with more shortness of breath (90.1%) than infants and children more than two years (66.7% and 87%, respectively) (p < 0.001). Older children (> 2 years) were significantly more likely to use antibiotics and have ICU admission than younger children ≤ 2 years (p = 0.045 and 0.018, respectively). There was no relationship between age groups, recurrent hospitalization, previous RSV infection, oxygen therapy, coinfection, and hospitalization duration. The respiratory rate was higher among patients with co-infection (p = 0.031). CONCLUSION: The current study provides information on the demographics and clinical characteristics of RSV infections. These findings contribute to a nuanced understanding of RSV infections in the specified population, emphasizing age-specific variations and clinical implications for better management strategies.

Perspective of biopharmaceutics knowledge and practice of pharmacy personnel toward the effect of medication route and medical procedure on nullifying fasting.

Background: In Ramadan, most of the dosing schedules for the patients are changed, and to ensure patient compliance to medications and to healthy life among patients, appropriate guidelines and educations are needed. This can be achieved by pharmacy personnel in all clinical settings who are recognized as biopharmaceutical experts and integral educators of medications. Aims: This study aimed to identify the perspective knowledge of pharmacy personnel about effect of medication route and medical procedure on nullifying fasting in Ramadan and to determine the predictors of this knowledge. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Jordan during March-April 2022. An internet-based self-administrated questionnaire on knowledge, and views was distributed using social media groups to the pharmacy personnel among different geographical areas in Jordan. A descriptive and univariate analysis were performed. Binary logistic regression was conducted to determine the predictors of knowledge including all variables with p < 0.20 on univariate analysis. Results: A total of 1003 responses to the study questionnaire were collected and included in the analysis. The most common source that pharmacy personnel used to get information on medication intake and medical procedures during fasting in Ramadan was Fatwa (57.8%) followed by Islamic materials "books and brochures" (47.1%). The majority of respondents were knowledgeable about the effect of administration route of medication and medical procedures on nullifying fasting in Ramadan (greater than70%). The univariate analysis showed that more than half of respondents (56.1%) were considered knowledgeable, and the binary logistic regression analysis identified that both professional degree type and confidence of respondents to modify the patient's medication schedule as predictors for knowledge (OR = 1.791, 95% CI = 1.035-3.098, p = 0.037), (OR = 1.375, 95% CI = 1.04-1.817, p = 0.025), respectively. Conclusions: Most of pharmacy personnel in Jordan are knowledgeable in biopharmaceutics principles and practice toward effect of medication route and medical procedure on nullifying fasting, and the identified predictors for this knowledge, can provide an opportunity to improve safe and effective use of medications and medical procedures during the holy month of Ramadan.

Awareness and Knowledge of Pharmacists toward Biosimilar Medicines: A Survey in Jordan.

Aims: Pharmacists in all clinical settings are recognized drug experts and integral educators of biosimilar medicines. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess pharmacists' knowledge, predictors of knowledge, and views toward biosimilar medicines in Jordan. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Jordan during October-December 2020. An Internet-based self-administrated questionnaire on knowledge and views was distributed using social media groups to the pharmacists among different areas in Jordan. A descriptive and univariate analysis was performed. Binary logistic regression was conducted to determine the predictors of knowledge including all variables with p < 0.20 on univariate analysis. Results: A total 536 responses were received, 502 of which were completed (93.7% response rate). A total of 52.6% of the pharmacists were knowledgeable about biosimilar medicines and the mean of knowledge level was 6.47 ± 1.62 (range 2-10). Multivariate analysis identified that respondents who had heard about biosimilars before (OR = 1.942, 95% CI = 1.231-3.063, p < 0.05) was more likely to be knowledgeable. Respondents who had not taken the course or the postgraduating training course about biosimilars that were less likely to be knowledgeable (OR = 0.548, 95% CI = 0.357-0.839, p < 0.05). A positive response was noted in pharmacist's view regarding the implementation of biosimilar medicines in healthcare setting, biosimilar medicine prescription related to decreased costs, self-study about biosimilar medicine, and incorporating biosimilar education program at the pharmacy school curriculum universities level. Conclusions: Pharmacists' views and knowledge vary regarding the particularities and key issues on biosimilar medicines in Jordan. Incorporating biosimilar course in pharmacy school curriculum could improve their acceptance for future pharmacy jobs.

Knowledge and practice of community pharmacists towards SGLT2 inhibitors.

Background: Sodium/glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are a new class of oral anti-diabetic drugs which improve glycaemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) by preventing the kidney from reabsorbing glucose back to blood. Community pharmacists have long-term relationships with most of their chronic patients, so they play a key role in care for people with diabetes. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess pharmacists' knowledge and practice towards SGLT2 inhibitors. Thus, improving pharmacists' knowledge about this group of medications could improve the treatment outcome of people with diabetes. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to meet the study objectives. A convenience sample of 348 community pharmacists in Jordan was recruited. knowledge and practice were assessed using a self-administered questionnaire created for the purpose of this study. Results: A total of 400 community pharmacists were reached, of whom 348 answered the survey (response rate 87%). The results indicated that SGLT2 inhibitors knowledge score among community pharmacists in Jordan was 6.61 (out of 12). Factors like age, gender, location of the pharmacy, years of pharmacists' experience had no effect on knowledge score; however, pharmacists who attended training courses on diabetes had higher knowledge scores. Additionally, pharmacists' dispensing practice toward SGLT2 inhibitors had insufficient knowledge, such as lack of knowledge about the superiority of SGLT2 inhibitors over other anti-diabetics and inability to give the best advice to patients. Conclusions: Our findings reflect a moderate knowledge among community pharmacists about SGLT2 inhibitors which may negatively affect the patients' outcome; thus, continuous education for the pharmacists is essential.

Assessing the knowledge, attitudes and barriers regarding health promotion of breast cancer among community pharmacists.

Aim: This study aimed to identify the perspective knowledge, attitudes, and barriers of community pharmacists in promoting breast cancer health. Methods: An internet-based self-administrated questionnaire was distributed using social media groups to the community pharmacists in Jordan. Results: A 76.7% of the pharmacists had insufficient knowledge score of breast cancer and 92.7% had positive attitude. Access to breast cancer educational materials was the major barrier to pharmacists. A significant association was found between pharmacists' knowledge and breast cancer educational materials being given to patients (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Despite the low breast cancer knowledge score and stated barriers that could prevent actualizing community pharmacists' role, they had positive attitude toward educating patients about breast cancer health.

The aim of this study was to evaluate pharmacists' knowledge, attitudes, and barriers about breast cancer health promotion among community pharmacists. An internet-based self-administrated questionnaire was distributed using social media groups to the community pharmacists in Jordan. A 76.7% of the pharmacists had poor knowledge score of breast cancer and 92.7% had positive attitude. The major barrier to pharmacists was access to breast cancer educational materials. A strong association was found between pharmacists' knowledge and breast cancer educational materials being given to patients. Also, community pharmacists had positive attitude toward educating patients about breast cancer health.

About anxiety levels and anti-anxiety drugs among quarantined undergraduate Jordanian students during COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to study the anxiety scores among undergraduate university students in Jordan during COVID-19 pandemic and to assess the relationship between quarantine and shifting to distance learning resulted from the governmental strict isolation measures and severity of anxiety among students. METHODS: A cross-sectional design was conducted to meet the study objectives. A convenience sample of 736 undergraduate university students in Jordan was recruited, and anxiety was assessed using the Hamilton Anxiety Scale. RESULTS: The results indicated that anxiety score was 22.76 and 40.6% of the participant experienced moderate to severe anxiety, whereas 23.5% experienced mild to moderate anxiety and 35.9% experienced mild anxiety. Factors like suffering from chronic illnesses, having chronic medications, grade point average, shifting to distance learning, quarantine during the pandemic, study duties, the newly developed evaluation methods and the experience of students towards the use of anti-anxiety drugs and herbs had significantly increased the anxiety scores. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that quarantine and shifting to distance learning during COVID-19 pandemic have negatively affected the anxiety scores of the university students which should be taken in consideration by the policymakers in Jordan in order to support this vulnerable group.