Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The STEP trials

A round-up of the STEP phase 3 clinical trials evaluating semaglutide for weight loss in people with overweight or obesity.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies
Published in: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies 1/2017

Open Access 01-12-2017 | Research article

Community pharmacists’ knowledge, practices and beliefs about complementary and alternative medicine in Palestine: a cross-sectional study

Authors: Naser Y. Shraim, Ramzi Shawahna, Muna A. Sorady, Banan M. Aiesh, Ghadeer Sh. Alashqar, Raghad I. Jitan, Waed M. Abu Hanieh, Yasmeen B. Hotari, Waleed M. Sweileh, Sa’ed H. Zyoud

Published in: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies | Issue 1/2017

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) utilization is dramatically increasing among patients. As community pharmacies are a major provider of CAM products, community pharmacists need to have the sufficient knowledge and information to advice their patients, answer their inquiries and to be proactive in the healthcare process to ensure optimal therapy outputs and minimize both drug-drug and drug-herb interactions. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to assess the knowledge, beliefs, and practices of community pharmacists in Palestine about CAM.

Methods

The study was conducted in a cross-sectional design in which a questionnaire was administered on a sample of licensed community pharmacists from Palestine. The questionnaire was of 5 sections: demographic and practice details of the participants, practice, beliefs, and knowledge about CAM. Mann-Whitney-U or Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to comparison of different issues as appropriate. P-values of <0.05 were considered significant.

Results

A total of 284 community pharmacists were surveyed, however, 281 were included in the analysis as they met inclusion criteria. Out of the 281, 149 (53.0%) of the participants were males and the rest were females. About 40% of the participants were between 20 to 29 years old. Pharmacists frequently recommended CAM modalities. Exercises (84.0%) and food supplements (82.6%) were the most commonly recommended modalities. In the last year, vitamin B12 was the most frequently prescribed supplement. The median knowledge score was 5 out of 8 and the median beliefs about CAM score was 4.0 out of 7.0.

Conclusions

CAM recommendations by pharmacists appear to be commonplace. Although their knowledge scores were fair to average, pharmacists still need more education and training about CAM in order to be more qualified to provide better pharmaceutical care and improve their patient’s outcome.
Literature
1.
Kwan D, Hirschkorn K, Boon H. U.S. and Canadian pharmacists’ attitudes, knowledge, and professional practice behaviors toward dietary supplements: a systematic review. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2006;6:31.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
2.
Tam K, Banh H. Attitudes of Alberta pharmacists pertaining to traditional Chinese medicine practice and complementary alternative medicine. J Pharma Care Health Sys. 2014;1(108):2.
3.
Helgadóttir B, Vilhjálmsson R, Gunnarsdóttir TJ. Utilization of complimentary and alternative health services in Iceland. Laeknabladid. 2010;96(4):267–73.PubMed
4.
Ramsay N, Kenny M, Davies G, Patel J. Complimentary and alternative medicine use among patients starting warfarin. Br J Haematol. 2005;130(5):777–80.CrossRefPubMed
5.
McFadden KL, Hernandez TD, Ito TA. Attitudes toward complementary and alternative medicine influence its use. Explore (NY). 2010;6(6):380–8.CrossRefPubMedCentral
6.
Awaisu A, Kheir N, Ibrahim MI, El-Hajj M, Hazi H, Khudair N, Barazi R. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of community pharmacists on generic medicines in Qatar. Int J Clin Pharm. 2014;36(2):394–404.CrossRefPubMed
7.
Braun LA, Tiralongo E, Wilkinson JM, Spitzer O, Bailey M, Poole S, Dooley M. Perceptions, use and attitudes of pharmacy customers on complementary medicines and pharmacy practice. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2010;10:38.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
8.
Semple SJ, Hotham E, Rao D, Martin K, Smith CA, Bloustien GF. Community pharmacists in Australia: barriers to information provision on complementary and alternative medicines. Pharm World Sci. 2006;28(6):366–73.CrossRefPubMed
9.
Kanjanarach T, Krass I, Cumming RG. Exploratory study of factors influencing practice of pharmacists in Australia and Thailand with respect to dietary supplements and complementary medicines. Int J Pharm Pract. 2006;14(2):123–8.CrossRef
10.
Nathan JP, Cicero LA, Koumis T, Rosenberg JM, Feifer S, Maltz F. Availability of and attitudes toward resources on alternative medicine products in the community pharmacy setting. J Am Pharm Assoc (2003). 2005;45(6):734–9.CrossRef
11.
Howard N, Tsourounis C, Kapusnik-Uner J. Dietary supplement survey of pharmacists: personal and professional practices. J Altern Complement Med. 2001;7(6):667–80.CrossRefPubMed
12.
Bushett NJ, Dickson-Swift VA, Willis JA, Wood P. Rural Australian community pharmacists’ views on complementary and alternative medicine: a pilot study. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2011;11:103.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
13.
Brooks PM. Undergraduate teaching of complementary medicine. Med J Aust. 2004;181(5):275.PubMed
14.
Owen D, Lewith G. Teaching integrated care: CAM familiarisation courses. Med J Aust. 2004;181(5):276–8.PubMed
15.
16.
Kanjanarach T, Krass I, Cumming RG. Australian community pharmacists’ practice in complementary medicines: a structural equation modeling approach. Patient Educ Couns. 2011;83(3):352–9.CrossRefPubMed
17.
Tiralongo E, Braun, L., Wilkinson, J., Spizer, O., Bailey, M., Poole, S., Dooley, M.: Exploring the integration of complementary medicines into Australian pharmacy practice with a focus on different practice settings and background knowledge. Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine 2010, 7(1).
18.
Kreitzer MJ, Mitten D, Harris I, Shandeling J. Attitudes toward CAM among medical, nursing, and pharmacy faculty and students: a comparative analysis. Altern Ther Health Med. 2002;8(6):44–7. 50-43PubMed
19.
Tiralongo E, Wallis M. Attitudes and perceptions of Australian pharmacy students towards Complementary and Alternative Medicine - a pilot study. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2008;8:2.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
20.
Canedy D: Real medicine or medicine show? Growth of herbal remedy sales raises issues about value; 1998.
21.
Brevoort P: booming US botanical market: a new overview. HerbalGram 1998.
22.
Sawalha A. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in Palestine: use and safety implications. J Altern Complement Med. 2007;13(2):263–9.CrossRefPubMed
23.
Ali-Shtayeh MS, Jamous RM, Jamous RM. Complementary and alternative medicine use amongst Palestinian diabetic patients. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2012;18(1):16–21.CrossRefPubMed
24.
Ali-Shtayeh MS, Jamous RM, Jamous RM. Herbal preparation use by patients suffering from cancer in Palestine. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2011;17(4):235–40.CrossRefPubMed
25.
Zyoud SH, Al-Jabi SW, Sweileh WM, Tabeeb GH, Ayaseh NA, Sawafta MN, Khdeir RL, Mezyed DO, Daraghmeh DN, Awang R. Use of complementary and alternative medicines in haemodialysis patients: a cross-sectional study from Palestine. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2016;16(1):204.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
26.
Ali-Shtayeh MS, Jamous RM, Jamous RM, Salameh NM. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use among hypertensive patients in Palestine. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2013;19(4):256–63.CrossRefPubMed
27.
Zyoud SH, Abd-Alhafez AB, Hussein AO, Abu-Shehab IS, Al-Jabi SW, Sweileh WM. Patterns of use of medications, herbal products and nutritional supplements and polypharmacy associating factors in Palestinian geriatric patients. Eur Geriatr Med. 2014;5(3):188–94.CrossRef
28.
Sawalha AF, Sweileh WM, Zyoud SH, Jabi SW. Self-therapy practices among university students in Palestine: focus on herbal remedies. Complement Ther Med. 2008;16(6):343–9.CrossRefPubMed
29.
Shilbayeh S. Exploring knowledge and attitudes towards counselling about vitamin supplements in Jordanian community pharmacies. Pharm Pract (Granada). 2011;9(4):242–51.CrossRef
30.
Al-Arifi MN. Availability and needs of herbal medicinal information resources at community pharmacy, Riyadh region, Saudi Arabia. Saudi Pharm J. 2013;21(4):351–60.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
31.
Alkharfy KM. Community pharmacists’ knowledge, attitudes and practices towards herbal remedies in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. East Mediterr Health J. 2010;16(9):988–93.PubMed
32.
Zyoud SH, Al-Jabi SW, Sweileh WM. Scientific publications from Arab world in leading journals of Integrative and Complementary Medicine: a bibliometric analysis. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2015;15:308.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
33.
Awad AI, Al-Ajmi S, Waheedi MA. Knowledge, perceptions and attitudes toward complementary and alternative therapies among Kuwaiti medical and pharmacy students. Med Princ Pract. 2012;21(4):350–4.CrossRefPubMed
34.
Brown JA, Roufogalis BD, Williamson M. Complementary medicines: hospital pharmacists’ attitude, knowledge and information seeking behaviour. J Pharm Pract Res. 2009;39(4):281–5.CrossRef
35.
Hanna LA, Hughes CM. ‘First, do no harm’: factors that influence pharmacists making decisions about over-the-counter medication: a qualitative study in Northern Ireland. Drug Saf. 2010;33(3):245–55.CrossRefPubMed
36.
Hanna LA, Hughes CM. Pharmacists’ attitudes towards an evidence-based approach for over-the-counter medication. Int J Clin Pharm. 2012;34(1):63–71.CrossRefPubMed
37.
Sweileh W, Abu Arrah E, Abu Taha A, Sawalha A, Salah O, Jamous R, Adawi D. Dispensing practices, attitudes and knowledge of pharmacists towards herbal products in Palestine. Ibnosina J Med BS. 2013;5(3):123–30.CrossRef
38.
Mehralian G, Yousefi N, Hashemian F, Maleksabet H. Knowledge, attitude and practice of pharmacists regarding dietary supplements: A cmmunity pharmacy-based survey in Tehran. Iran J Pharm Res. 2014;13(4):1457–65.PubMedPubMedCentral
39.
Adib-Hajbaghery M, Hoseinian M. Knowledge, attitude and practice toward complementary and traditional medicine among Kashan health care staff, 2012. Complement Ther Med. 2014;22(1):126–32.CrossRefPubMed
40.
Brown CM, Barner JC, Shah S. Community pharmacists’ actions when patients use complementary and alternative therapies with medications. J Am Pharm Assoc (2003). 2005;45(1):41–7.CrossRef
41.
42.
Al-Faris EA, Al-Rowais N, Mohamed AG, Al-Rukban MO, Al-Kurdi A, Balla Al-Noor MA, Al-Harby S, Sheikh A. Prevalence and pattern of alternative medicine use: the results of a household survey. Ann Saudi Med. 2008;28(1):4–10.CrossRefPubMed
43.
44.
Younis K. Vitamin B12 deficiency among Palestinians: A critique study, 2nd Conference on Biotechnology Research and Applications in Palestine. Palestine An-Najah Scholars; 2010. p. 45.
45.
Koh HL, Teo HH, Ng HL. Pharmacists’ patterns of use, knowledge, and attitudes toward complementary and alternative medicine. J Altern Complement Med. 2003;9(1):51–63.CrossRefPubMed
46.
47.
Committee IoMU: Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the United States: National Academies Press (US); 2005.
48.
Sweileh WM, Arrah EMA, Abu-Taha AS, Sawalha AF, Salah OA, Jamous RM, Adawi D. Pharmacists’ Dispensing Practices, Attitudes and Knowledge towards Herbal Products in Palestine. Ibnosina Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. 2013;5(3):123–30.CrossRef
49.
Forsetlund L, Bjorndal A, Rashidian A, Jamtvedt G, O’Brien MA, Wolf F, Davis D, Odgaard-Jensen J, Oxman AD. Continuing education meetings and workshops: effects on professional practice and health care outcomes. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2009;2(2):CD003030.
50.
Block KI, Mead MN. Immune system effects of echinacea, ginseng, and astragalus: a review. Integr Cancer Ther. 2003;2(3):247–67.CrossRefPubMed
51.
Rahman K. Effects of garlic on platelet biochemistry and physiology. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2007;51(11):1335–44.CrossRefPubMed
52.
Lee GB, Charn TC, Chew ZH, Ng TP. Complementary and alternative medicine use in patients with chronic diseases in primary care is associated with perceived quality of care and cultural beliefs. Fam Pract. 2004;21(6):654–60.CrossRefPubMed
53.
Pokladnikova J, Desiree L. CAM attitudes, self-reported use and client recommendations of Czech pharmacists and pharmacy technicians: Implications for training. Klinická farmakologie a farmacie. 2014;28(2):49–54.
Metadata
Title
Community pharmacists’ knowledge, practices and beliefs about complementary and alternative medicine in Palestine: a cross-sectional study
Authors
Naser Y. Shraim
Ramzi Shawahna
Muna A. Sorady
Banan M. Aiesh
Ghadeer Sh. Alashqar
Raghad I. Jitan
Waed M. Abu Hanieh
Yasmeen B. Hotari
Waleed M. Sweileh
Sa’ed H. Zyoud
Publication date
01-12-2017
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies / Issue 1/2017
Electronic ISSN: 2662-7671
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-017-1940-8

Other articles of this Issue 1/2017

BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies 1/2017 Go to the issue

Research article

Effects of acupoint-stimulation for the treatment of primary dysmenorrhoea compared with NSAIDs: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 19 RCTs

Research article

Melicope ptelefolia leaf extracts exhibit antioxidant activity and exert anti-proliferative effect with apoptosis induction on four different cancer cell lines

Research article

Sijunzi Decoction attenuates 2, 4, 6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis in rats and ameliorates TNBS-induced claudin-2 damage via NF-κB pathway in Caco2 cells

Research article

Quality of medical service, patient satisfaction and loyalty with a focus on interpersonal-based medical service encounters and treatment effectiveness: a cross-sectional multicenter study of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) hospitals

Research article

Hepatoprotective and antioxidant effects of single clove garlic against CCl4-induced hepatic damage in rabbits

Research article

Anti-diarrheal and anti-inflammatory activities of aqueous extract of the aerial part of Rubia cordifolia