Patient satisfaction with pharmaceutical care services for chronic diseases and their medication adherence during COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVES: During the ongoing coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, chronic disease management and medication adherence have become challenging; thus, health-related quality of life may have been compromised. As highly trusted healthcare providers, pharmacies in Saudi Arabia have undergone restructuring or redesign to cope with the current demands during the pandemic. The study assessed satisfaction levels of patients with chronic diseases concerning pharmaceutical care services provided during COVID-19 in addition to medication adherence and quality of life during the pandemic. METHODS: An online questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was administered. Saudi residents suffering from chronic diseases and receiving pharmaceutical care from a hospital or community pharmacy during the COVID-19 pandemic were eligible. The survey was created using Google Forms and distributed through online channels. The survey targeted 385 participants. KEY FINDINGS: A sample of 317 patients was included. More than half had missed a follow-up visit for their chronic conditions since the beginning of the pandemic. The overall mean score ± standard deviation for the satisfaction level with pharmaceutical care services was 22.0 ± 10.3 on a scale of 0-36 with different satisfaction levels for different services. In addition to a good level of medication adherence, a high percentage of these patients reported no problem in most of the dimensions of the EQ-5D scale. CONCLUSIONS: Pharmacists should take a more proactive and consultive role to deliver healthcare needs of patients with a chronic condition and be aware of patient expectations from a pharmacist in situations, such as the current pandemic.

The immediate psychological response of the general population in Saudi Arabia during COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The outbreak of COVID-19 may differentially exacerbate anxiety and stress in people subjected to the real or perceived threat of the virus. METHOD: An online cross-sectional survey was carried out to assess the general population's psychological response during the initial state of the outbreak in Saudi Arabia. The study used brief screening tools PHQ-4 for anxiety-depression symptoms and IES-6 for posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms. RESULTS: Among the 584 respondents, 19.8% and 22.0% reported moderate to severe anxiety and depression symptoms respectively. According to the combined PHQ-4 score, 14.5% of participants showed moderate to severe anxiety or depression disorder. Overall, 64.8% met the level of clinical concern for posttraumatic stress disorder and 51.3% met the level of probable posttraumatic stress disorder diagnosis. Multivariate analyses showed that females, non-Saudi nationalities, and those who had a history of mental illness were more vulnerable to anxiety and depression disorders than their counterparts, whereas a higher prevalence of distress symptoms was reported among those who prefer Arabic over English for communication. It was found that people whose colleagues or family infected with the disease were more likely to report moderate to severe symptoms of anxiety or depression and distress. The study further showed that the higher the perceived threat, the higher the chances of exhibiting anxiety-depressive disorder symptoms and distress symptoms. CONCLUSION: The findings might be a matter for serious concern, and considerable attention is required from authorities and policymakers regarding early detection and treatment of these illnesses in order to reduce the burden of the pandemic related mental illness.