Assessment of Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice of Community Pharmacists towards Weight Management in Khartoum State, Sudan
Abd Elmoneim O. Elkhalifa *
College of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Hail, Hail, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Fajr H. E. Humida
School of Pharmacy, Ahfad University for Women, Omdurman, Sudan.
Maha A. S. Hussien
School of Pharmacy, Ahfad University for Women, Omdurman, Sudan.
Shaza O. H. Kanan
School of Medicine, Ahfad University for Women, Omdurman, Sudan.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
This research was carried out to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practice of community pharmacists in Khartoum state towards weight managements, and to explore their roles in dispensing of off label drugs as weight management drugs. A questionnaire was used to collect primary data from 100 community pharmacists in Khartoum state who were chosen randomly. The secondary data was collected from different references, journals, textbooks and internet website. The results of this study showed that 91% of community pharmacists were highly involved in providing advice in weight management. The dispensing of weight management medications depended mainly on weight of the patients (25%). This research revealed that 49% of pharmacists dispensed the metformin for off label use as anti-obesity drug, 58% of them dispense it under prescription while 51% of the pharmacists never dispensed it for weight loss. In addition, 27% of the pharmacists’ dispensed mosegore (sandomigran) for weight gain while the majority of them never dispense it (73%).
Keywords: Community pharmacists, KAP, healthy weight, off label drugs