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Community Pharmacists' Role in Palliative Care: Evaluating Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices, and Perceived Barriers in
Anan S Jarab1, Walid Al-Qerem2, Rahma Elsherif3
1Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, 22110, Jordan.
Background:
Pharmacists are well-positioned to enhance medication management and support patients; however, their participation in palliative care in the UAE remains limited due to insufficient training, unclear professional roles, and organizational constraints. Addressing these issues is vital to enable pharmacists to contribute to comprehensive, patient-centred care and improved health outcomes.
Aim:
To assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of community pharmacists in the UAE toward palliative care, and to identify perceived barriers and factors associated with suboptimal practice.
Methods:
A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 431 pharmacists using convenience sampling. A validated, self-administered questionnaire assessed demographics, knowledge (true/false/I do not know), attitudes and practices (5-point Likert scales), and perceived barriers. Content validity was confirmed through expert review, and reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha. Quantile regression identified factors influencing palliative care practices.
Results:
Among 431 respondents, the median (IQR) knowledge score was 4 (3-5) out of 13, with fewer than half answering any knowledge item correctly. Attitude and practice scores showed scope for improvement, with median (IQR) values of 45 (41-48) out of 60 and 41 (37-44) out of 55, respectively. Only 10% conducted home visits, while 16% offered pain management advice. Common activities included medication monitoring (38.3%) and ensuring access to essential medicines (36%). Higher attitude scores (β = 0.375; 95% CI: 0.283-0.467) and older age (β = 0.122; 95% CI: 0.009-0.235) were associated with better practices. The main barriers were lack of training (53.4%) and limited public awareness (50.1%).
Conclusion:
Despite positive attitudes, pharmacists demonstrate limited knowledge and engagement in palliative care. Targeted education, integration of palliative care into pharmacy curricula, and enhanced institutional and public support are essential to strengthen pharmacists' roles in patient-centred care in the UAE.
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