General Public Views, Attitudes, and Experiences toward Drug Safety in Dubai, United Arab Emirates: A Qualitative Approach
Ensuring drug safety among the patients is the main domain of pharmacovigilance activities worldwide. A pharmacovigilance system was established in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2008. Research evidence reflects that the current system is lacking in active participation from patients, and also, t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2019-02-01
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| Series: | Pharmacy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2226-4787/7/1/19 |
| _version_ | 1811304052173045760 |
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| author | Doaa Alkhalidi Shazia Qasim Jamshed Ramadan Mohamed Elkalmi Mirza Rafi Baig Adeel Aslam Mohamed Azmi Hassali |
| author_facet | Doaa Alkhalidi Shazia Qasim Jamshed Ramadan Mohamed Elkalmi Mirza Rafi Baig Adeel Aslam Mohamed Azmi Hassali |
| author_sort | Doaa Alkhalidi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ensuring drug safety among the patients is the main domain of pharmacovigilance activities worldwide. A pharmacovigilance system was established in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2008. Research evidence reflects that the current system is lacking in active participation from patients, and also, the inadequate role of healthcare professionals is anticipated. In this context, it is pertinent to know the general public’s understandings and their patterns of safe use of medication, which are unexplored areas in Dubai, UAE. The current study aimed to explore the public views, attitudes, and experiences toward medication safety, and to explore key factors enhancing the safe use of medications among the public in Dubai. This study adopted a qualitative approach and face-to-face, 14 in-depth interviews with public individuals, selected purposively using the snowball sampling technique. The interviews were conducted in different places in Dubai recorded and transcribed verbatim and thematically analyzed for data analysis. Reporting of adverse drug reaction was not well-known among all the participants. Public views towards safe use of medicines were limited to the side effects of the consumed medicines only, and to a lesser extent to the inappropriate indication and dosage. Most of the participants mentioned that gaining knowledge about the side effects of the prescribed drug was the main reason for reading the patient information leaflet. Quite a few participants have experienced side effects while consuming their medicines and they were unsure of how to deal with the situation. The current research also reflected the lack of proper communication between pharmacists and physicians in managing drug safety issues. Conclusively, the current research revealed gaps in public views regarding medication’s safety, which consequently may impact their attitudes during the course of medication use. Efforts need to be strengthened to enhance positive views and attitudes of the public towards medication safety and ADR reporting in the UAE. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T07:59:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5cf509dc4b1d413a844cff5634a6df5f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2226-4787 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T07:59:03Z |
| publishDate | 2019-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pharmacy |
| spelling | doaj.art-5cf509dc4b1d413a844cff5634a6df5f2022-12-22T02:55:19ZengMDPI AGPharmacy2226-47872019-02-01711910.3390/pharmacy7010019pharmacy7010019General Public Views, Attitudes, and Experiences toward Drug Safety in Dubai, United Arab Emirates: A Qualitative ApproachDoaa Alkhalidi0Shazia Qasim Jamshed1Ramadan Mohamed Elkalmi2Mirza Rafi Baig3Adeel Aslam4Mohamed Azmi Hassali5Department of Pharmacy Practice, Kulliyyah of Pharmacy, IIUM, Kuantan, Pahang 25200, MalaysiaDepartment of Pharmacy Practice, Kulliyyah of Pharmacy, IIUM, Kuantan, Pahang 25200, MalaysiaDepartment of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi Mara, Shah Alam, Selangor 42300, MalaysiaDepartment of Clinical Pharmacy & Pharmacotherapeutics, Dubai Pharmacy College, Dubai, UAEDepartment of Pharmacy Practice, Kulliyyah of Pharmacy, IIUM, Kuantan, Pahang 25200, MalaysiaDiscipline of Social and Administrative Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang 11800, MalaysiaEnsuring drug safety among the patients is the main domain of pharmacovigilance activities worldwide. A pharmacovigilance system was established in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2008. Research evidence reflects that the current system is lacking in active participation from patients, and also, the inadequate role of healthcare professionals is anticipated. In this context, it is pertinent to know the general public’s understandings and their patterns of safe use of medication, which are unexplored areas in Dubai, UAE. The current study aimed to explore the public views, attitudes, and experiences toward medication safety, and to explore key factors enhancing the safe use of medications among the public in Dubai. This study adopted a qualitative approach and face-to-face, 14 in-depth interviews with public individuals, selected purposively using the snowball sampling technique. The interviews were conducted in different places in Dubai recorded and transcribed verbatim and thematically analyzed for data analysis. Reporting of adverse drug reaction was not well-known among all the participants. Public views towards safe use of medicines were limited to the side effects of the consumed medicines only, and to a lesser extent to the inappropriate indication and dosage. Most of the participants mentioned that gaining knowledge about the side effects of the prescribed drug was the main reason for reading the patient information leaflet. Quite a few participants have experienced side effects while consuming their medicines and they were unsure of how to deal with the situation. The current research also reflected the lack of proper communication between pharmacists and physicians in managing drug safety issues. Conclusively, the current research revealed gaps in public views regarding medication’s safety, which consequently may impact their attitudes during the course of medication use. Efforts need to be strengthened to enhance positive views and attitudes of the public towards medication safety and ADR reporting in the UAE.https://www.mdpi.com/2226-4787/7/1/19publicdrug safetyADR reportingDubai |
| spellingShingle | Doaa Alkhalidi Shazia Qasim Jamshed Ramadan Mohamed Elkalmi Mirza Rafi Baig Adeel Aslam Mohamed Azmi Hassali General Public Views, Attitudes, and Experiences toward Drug Safety in Dubai, United Arab Emirates: A Qualitative Approach Pharmacy public drug safety ADR reporting Dubai |
| title | General Public Views, Attitudes, and Experiences toward Drug Safety in Dubai, United Arab Emirates: A Qualitative Approach |
| title_full | General Public Views, Attitudes, and Experiences toward Drug Safety in Dubai, United Arab Emirates: A Qualitative Approach |
| title_fullStr | General Public Views, Attitudes, and Experiences toward Drug Safety in Dubai, United Arab Emirates: A Qualitative Approach |
| title_full_unstemmed | General Public Views, Attitudes, and Experiences toward Drug Safety in Dubai, United Arab Emirates: A Qualitative Approach |
| title_short | General Public Views, Attitudes, and Experiences toward Drug Safety in Dubai, United Arab Emirates: A Qualitative Approach |
| title_sort | general public views attitudes and experiences toward drug safety in dubai united arab emirates a qualitative approach |
| topic | public drug safety ADR reporting Dubai |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2226-4787/7/1/19 |
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