Cross-Sectional Assessment of Pharmacy Students’ Knowledge and Perception of Drug-Drug Interactions with Over the Counter Products

Background: Self-medication with over-the-counter products has dramatically increased following coronavirus disease of 2019 pandemic. For safe public use of these products, Pharmacy and Doctor of Pharmacy students are expected to have proper knowledge and perception towards these products dispensing and associated interactions. Objectives: A cross-sectional survey was developed to assess Pharmacy and Doctor of Pharmacy students’ knowledge and perception towards drug interactions of over the counter products. Methods: Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire and statistically analyzed. Descriptive statistics (frequency) were analyzed for participants’ demographics. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to determine the association between over the counter products and relevant interactions with medications to treat chronic illnesses. A P value < 0.05 was used to determine statistical significance. Results: Responses were 411 and only 389 were included. 76.6% were studying Bachelor of Pharmacy and 86.1% were on a regular study program. Recipients of Pharmacy training were 65.3% and 62.0% of participants studied over the counter course. Orphenadrine muscle relaxant was the mostly identified over the counter product (n= 339, 87.1%). Majority of students (n= 345, 88.7%) consider that OTC products help improving conditions being dispensed for. Bridging students and those who studied over the counter course showed significant knowledge in drug interactions compared to regular-program students and those who did not complete the course (P= 0.004, P< 0.001, respectively). Of the 389 respondents, 79.9% and 79.2% considered hydrochlorothiazide and metformin as over the counter products, respectively, compared to 54.0% for amoxicillin (AU)

Psychometric properties of Arabic translated temperament instrument.

BACKGROUND: Investigating temperament has been a multi-subject exercise that attempts to determine the contribution of temperament to additional measurable phenomena like behavior. The existing research not only evaluates temperament as a variable with the ability to influence additional characteristics but has included interventions that can result in adapted outcomes. Develop an Arabic translation of the Infant Characteristics Questionnaire (ICQ). PURPOSE: Examine the psychometric properties of the translation and establish modified criteria for evaluating the questionnaire. METHODS: Cross sectional design was used. Translation of the ICQ was achieved through translation/back translation. The population that used the ICQ translation on convenience sample of 40 Arabic-speaking women with children between the ages of 3-12-months old; this same group also completed a demographic survey. RESULTS: The internal consistency of the translated instrument was almost equivalent to or higher than the reported from the United States (US) review. The alpha coefficients calculated from subscales varied between .47 and .87. CONCLUSION: This research study described the translation of the ICQ into the Arabic language for use in the research and clinical setting. The ICQ is a useful tool for evaluating infant difficulty by describing and summarizing parents' ratings.

Infant temperament as a predictor of maternal attachment: A Jordanian study.

AIM: To investigate the relationship between maternal bonding and infant temperament during the first year of infant's life. Moreover, it also wanted to explore which perinatal factors could influence the quality of maternal attachment. METHOD: A cross-sectional study design was used to collect data from a sample of 277 mothers during the period of May-October 2018. The participants were asked to complete a three-part survey that was developed to collect data on maternal attachment and infant temperament. Data was collected between March 2019-June 2019. RESULTS: The analysis of the data revealed that there was a significant relationship between infant temperament and maternal attachment [F(2, 95) = 6.783, p-value = .001]. It also revealed that the factors that most influenced maternal attachment were infant temperament and planned pregnancy, which together explained 54% of the variance in maternal attachment (R2  =  7.5). CONCLUSION: Maternal attachment in Jordanian mothers can be explained by two significant factors: infant temperament and planning for pregnancy.

Pharmacists' readiness to deal with the coronavirus pandemic: Assessing awareness and perception of roles.

Background: The 2019 Coronavirus infection (COVID-19) caused by a novel strain of coronavirus was detected in China in December 2019, and declared a public health emergency of international concern on January 30, 2020. Community pharmacists have an important role in supporting the local health emergency preparedness and response arrangements. Objectives: To investigate pharmacists and pharmacy students' awareness and source of their information regard the management of the coronavirus pandemic, and their perspective of their role during this emergent situation. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional online survey study was conducted in Jordan during the COVID-19 outbreak (from 15 to 30 March 2020). A validated online questionnaire addressing participants' current awareness about epidemics/pandemics and COVID-19, source of information and their perspectives of their role. Data were analyzed using statistical package for social science (SPSS). Results: Participants (n = 726) had a mean age of 26.9 (8.0) years with 71.9% females. Pharmacy students made 35.3% of the sample while the rest were pharmacists. Only 54.3% of participants believed that they got enough education about epidemics/pandemics, and 94.6% of them follow on the latest coronavirus updates on treatments, and that is mainly from the media (59.5%) followed by the World Health Organization reports (58.7%) and then the published researches (57%). Awareness score (out of 20) of pharmacists (n = 470) was significantly higher (p < 0.001) than that of students (n = 256). Better Awareness scores were also associated with higher age of participants, graduating from a public versus a private university, and attending more educational workshops. Conclusion: The majority of pharmacists and pharmacy students reported that they have a major role in the management of epidemics/pandemics through the community pharmacies but the majority follow on the latest coronavirus updates from the media. This fact rings bills considering the numerous conflicting messages publicized during the pandemic through the media.