Intention to quit and its correlates among dieticians residing in the United Arab Emirates during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic precipitated increased workload, stress, and burnout on healthcare providers on the frontlines of the pandemic, dieticians were no exception. Such unprecedented occupational risks and stressors contributed to a higher intention to quit, potentially leading to workforce shortages, and hindering the delivery of quality care, especially for patients with chronic conditions. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence factors associated with the intention to quit among dieticians in the United Arab Emirates during a public health emergency. METHODS: The study utilized a cross-sectional design with an online survey sent to dieticians between January and May 2021. The final version of the questionnaire included four sections: A sociodemographic section, intention to quit, work-related practices and challenges, as well as the resilience scale using the 25 items- Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale© (CD-RISC). Descriptive statistics as well as simple and multiple logistic regression analyses were carried out to explore factors associated with the intention to quit among dieticians. RESULTS: Study results revealed that a quarter of dieticians intend to quit their jobs. Higher odds of intention to quit among dieticians were significantly associated with male gender, younger age, having a chronic condition, being non-resilient, feeling unappreciated, using online platforms for dietary counseling, reporting increased workload, and working from home or in a blended format during the pandemic. CONCLUSION: This study revealed a high intention to quit among dieticians during the COVID-19 pandemic and identified a few correlates for the intention to quit that could support the development of evidence-based interventions. Such interventions should address through targeted programs the challenges faced by male dieticians, younger dieticians, as well as dieticians with Chronic health conditions. Furthermore, the findings of this study showed that promoting resilience among dieticians is crucial in reducing their intention to quit.

Beyond pillbox: a national cross-sectional study on the attitudes, practices, and knowledge of community pharmacists regarding complementary and alternative medicine.

BACKGROUND: While community pharmacists are uniquely positioned to promote the safe and effective use of complementary and alternative medicine, their potential role remains largely untapped. The objective of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to complementary and alternative medicine products among community pharmacists in the United Arab Emirates and explore the correlates of knowledge in the study sample. METHODS: Using a stratified random sampling frame, a national survey of community pharmacists was conducted in the United Arab Emirates. In a face-to-face interaction, participants completed a multi-component questionnaire consisting of four sections: sociodemographic and general characteristics; knowledge of complementary and alternative medicine products and usage; attitudes towards complementary and alternative medicine and practices related to complementary and alternative medicine. Based on participants' answers, scores were calculated with higher scores indicating more positive knowledge, attitudes, and practices. RESULTS: 373 community pharmacists participated in the study (response rate: 83%). For the knowledge questions, more than 50% of community pharmacists correctly answered the functions of complementary and alternative medicine, however lower percentages were noted for the side effects and drug interactions questions. Most community pharmacists had positive attitudes towards complementary and alternative medicine, except for particular aspects such as efficacy, where 40% agreed that complementary and alternative medicine is only effective in treating minor complaints. As for practices, while more than 70% of participants counseled patients on complementary and alternative medicine use, only 47% reported the toxic effects when encountered. Multiple linear regressions showed that community pharmacists working in independent pharmacies, those with fewer years of experience, and those who did not receive complementary and alternative medicine education during their academic degree had lower knowledge scores (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study showed that community pharmacists in the United Arab Emirates have good knowledge of complementary and alternative medicine functions and generally positive attitudes and practices, with few gaps identified in each. Together, these findings provide critical evidence for the development of targeted interventions to promote the role of community pharmacists towards safe and effective complementary and alternative medicine use in the country.