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

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 prepare...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Research in social and administrative pharmacy 2021-03, Vol.17 (3), p.514-522
Main Authors: Basheti, Iman A., Nassar, Razan, Barakat, Muna, Alqudah, Rajaa, Abufarha, Rana, Mukattash, Tareq L., Saini, Bandana
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Access to Information
Adult
Attitude of Health Personnel
Community Pharmacy Services
Coronavirus
COVID-19 - prevention & control
COVID-19 - transmission
Cross-Sectional Studies
Education, Pharmacy
Educational Status
Faculty of pharmacy
Female
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Humans
Jordan
Male
Pandemics
Pharmaceutical association
Pharmacists
Pharmacists - psychology
Professional Role
Public Health
Students, Pharmacy - psychology
Young Adult
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Summary: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. 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. 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). 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 
ISSN:1551-7411
1934-8150
1934-8150
DOI:10.1016/j.sapharm.2020.04.020