Knowledge and attitude of community pharmacists toward biosimilar medicines: A cross-sectional study in Lebanon
Objectives: Pharmacists are drug experts who can play a significant role in promoting the use of biosimilar medicines. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess community pharmacists' knowledge and attitude toward biosimilars in Lebanon, as well as potential factors influencing their knowl...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221339842300074X |
| _version_ | 1797801798073843712 |
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| author | Bahia Chahine Inasse Ghandour Lama Faddoul |
| author_facet | Bahia Chahine Inasse Ghandour Lama Faddoul |
| author_sort | Bahia Chahine |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives: Pharmacists are drug experts who can play a significant role in promoting the use of biosimilar medicines. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess community pharmacists' knowledge and attitude toward biosimilars in Lebanon, as well as potential factors influencing their knowledge. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study involving licensed community pharmacists in Lebanon was conducted using random sampling between January and July 2022. An electronic survey consisting of 30-closed ended questions was used, it included 10 questions to assess participants knowledge towards biosimilars and 10 attitudinal statements. A knowledge score was then calculated. A multivariable analysis was conducted to determine predictors of knowledge using binary logistic regression including all variables with p < 0.20 on univariate analysis. Statistical significance was set at p value < 0.05. Key findings: In total, 354 community pharmacists completed this survey. The majority of participants 261 (73.7%) were knowledgeable, with only 54 (15.3%) answering all the questions correctly. The results of the multivariable analysis showed only a statistically significant association between knowledge and pharmacists who had taken a course or post-graduate training course about biosimilar drugs (OR = 2.213, 95% CI = 1.088–4.500, p-value = 0.028). The majority of pharmacists 314 (88.7%) agreed with the statement “Healthcare professionals should be further educated to eliminate potential misconceptions and integrate biosimilars into routine clinical practice.” Conclusions: Overall, community pharmacists in Lebanon had a good knowledge about biosimilars that was significantly associated with post-graduate training courses. Additionally, our participants had a generally favorable attitude toward biosimilars. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T04:55:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c8d1589ca1794b14bc0accda03e74813 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2213-3984 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T04:55:57Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-c8d1589ca1794b14bc0accda03e748132023-06-18T05:01:43ZengElsevierClinical Epidemiology and Global Health2213-39842023-05-0121101287Knowledge and attitude of community pharmacists toward biosimilar medicines: A cross-sectional study in LebanonBahia Chahine0Inasse Ghandour1Lama Faddoul2Corresponding author.; School of Pharmacy, Lebanese International University, Beirut, LebanonSchool of Pharmacy, Lebanese International University, Beirut, LebanonSchool of Pharmacy, Lebanese International University, Beirut, LebanonObjectives: Pharmacists are drug experts who can play a significant role in promoting the use of biosimilar medicines. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess community pharmacists' knowledge and attitude toward biosimilars in Lebanon, as well as potential factors influencing their knowledge. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study involving licensed community pharmacists in Lebanon was conducted using random sampling between January and July 2022. An electronic survey consisting of 30-closed ended questions was used, it included 10 questions to assess participants knowledge towards biosimilars and 10 attitudinal statements. A knowledge score was then calculated. A multivariable analysis was conducted to determine predictors of knowledge using binary logistic regression including all variables with p < 0.20 on univariate analysis. Statistical significance was set at p value < 0.05. Key findings: In total, 354 community pharmacists completed this survey. The majority of participants 261 (73.7%) were knowledgeable, with only 54 (15.3%) answering all the questions correctly. The results of the multivariable analysis showed only a statistically significant association between knowledge and pharmacists who had taken a course or post-graduate training course about biosimilar drugs (OR = 2.213, 95% CI = 1.088–4.500, p-value = 0.028). The majority of pharmacists 314 (88.7%) agreed with the statement “Healthcare professionals should be further educated to eliminate potential misconceptions and integrate biosimilars into routine clinical practice.” Conclusions: Overall, community pharmacists in Lebanon had a good knowledge about biosimilars that was significantly associated with post-graduate training courses. Additionally, our participants had a generally favorable attitude toward biosimilars.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221339842300074XBiosimilarsCommunity pharmacistsKnowledgeAttitude |
| spellingShingle | Bahia Chahine Inasse Ghandour Lama Faddoul Knowledge and attitude of community pharmacists toward biosimilar medicines: A cross-sectional study in Lebanon Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health Biosimilars Community pharmacists Knowledge Attitude |
| title | Knowledge and attitude of community pharmacists toward biosimilar medicines: A cross-sectional study in Lebanon |
| title_full | Knowledge and attitude of community pharmacists toward biosimilar medicines: A cross-sectional study in Lebanon |
| title_fullStr | Knowledge and attitude of community pharmacists toward biosimilar medicines: A cross-sectional study in Lebanon |
| title_full_unstemmed | Knowledge and attitude of community pharmacists toward biosimilar medicines: A cross-sectional study in Lebanon |
| title_short | Knowledge and attitude of community pharmacists toward biosimilar medicines: A cross-sectional study in Lebanon |
| title_sort | knowledge and attitude of community pharmacists toward biosimilar medicines a cross sectional study in lebanon |
| topic | Biosimilars Community pharmacists Knowledge Attitude |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221339842300074X |
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