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Acceptability and Willingness of UAE Residents to Use OTC Vending Machines to Deliver Self-Testing Kits for COVID-19 and the Implications.
Jairoun, Ammar Abdulrahman; Al Hemyari, Sabaa Saleh; Abdulla, Naseem Mohammed; Shahwan, Moyad; Hashim Jaber Bilal, Farah; Al-Tamimi, Saleh Karamah; Jairoun, Maimona; Zyoud, Samer H; Kurdi, Amanj; Godman, Brian.
  • Jairoun AA; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang, Gelugor, 11800, Malaysia.
  • Al Hemyari SS; Health and Safety Department, Dubai Municipality, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
  • Abdulla NM; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang, Gelugor, 11800, Malaysia.
  • Shahwan M; Pharmacy Department, Emirates Health Services, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
  • Hashim Jaber Bilal F; Health and Safety Department, Dubai Municipality, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
  • Al-Tamimi SK; College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Ajman University, Ajman, 346, United Arab Emirates.
  • Jairoun M; Centre of Medical and Bio-allied Health Sciences Research, Ajman University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates.
  • Zyoud SH; Anesthesiology Department, Saint Georges Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon.
  • Kurdi A; Valiant Hospital, Anesthesiology Department, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
  • Godman B; Faculty of Pharmacy, Aden University, Aden, Yemen.
J Multidiscip Healthc ; 15: 1759-1770, 2022.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2022216
ABSTRACT

Purpose:

Self-testing kits for SARS-CoV-2 appear effective, practical, safe and reliable as well as helping patients with mild-to-moderate symptoms to be successfully managed at home without going to hospital. As a result, ease pressures on hospitals. OTC vending machines offer the potential for SARS-CoV-2 self-testing kits alongside making available OTC treatments to alleviate the symptoms of COVID-19. As a result, providing confidentiality alongside ease of use in case people do not want their status broad casted. Consequently, there was a need to assess the acceptability and willingness regarding the availability of OTC vending machines to dispense self-testing kits for SARS-CoV-2 among UAE residents to provide future direction. Patients and

Methods:

A cross-sectional survey using a designed questionnaire was based on previous research and expert input and pilot tested. All items in the final questionnaire were seen as acceptable with a satisfactory content validity. A purposive sampling strategy was used in the principal study by primarily sending a link to the questionnaire to UAE universities via Facebook and WhatsApp.

Results:

A total of 876 respondents participated in the study and completed the whole questionnaire. Most participants were female (63%), Arabic origin (42%) and holding a bachelor's degree (84.5%). There was high acceptability and willingness to use self-testing kits (87.2%), with 88.6% of respondents believing OTC vending machines would be beneficial for patients with actual or suspected SARS-CoV-2. Gender, nationality, educational level, employment status, having relatives infected with SARS-CoV-2 and being vaccinated were significantly associated with attitudes towards the self-testing kits. Recognised barriers include their potential costs, ease of access and help for those who cannot read the instructions.

Conclusion:

Overall, there was high acceptability and willingness to use OTC vending machines to deliver self-testing kits for SARS-CoV-2 among the surveyed participants. Key barriers will need to be addressed to enhance their use.
Keywords

Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Type of study: Observational study / Randomized controlled trials Topics: Vaccines Language: English Journal: J Multidiscip Healthc Year: 2022 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: JMDH.S370441

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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Type of study: Observational study / Randomized controlled trials Topics: Vaccines Language: English Journal: J Multidiscip Healthc Year: 2022 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: JMDH.S370441