GENERAL PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS ON THE ROLE OF COMMUNITY PHARMACISTS IN DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: A QUANTITATIVE APPROACH

Pharmacy practice had changed the traditional positioning criteria of pharmacists as business people into patient-centered health care professionals. This worldwide shift has expanded the interaction between pharmacists and patients to become consumer-friendly.

The aim of this study is to explore the perceptions of general public on the role of community pharmacists in Dubai.

A questionnaire was used to conduct this study that had five sections which included the respondent’s demographic information, general awareness about community pharmacists, perceptions about pharmacists’ role, expectations from pharmacists and services provided, and experience about pharmacy services. A sample size of 481 pharmacy clients was approached. Non-parametric statistical analysis and appropriate descriptive statistics for the demographic data were performed.

Public in Dubai positively perceived the role of community pharmacists. Findings showed that 85.2% of the respondents agreed that pharmacists are important to any medical team. They trusted pharmacists’ advices (76.3%) on safe use of medicines. Patients were found satisfied with services provided in community pharmacies in Dubai (67.1%). However, findings showed that patients were not very sure that they can buy any medicine from pharmacy without prescription. Moreover, more than half of the respondents (51.6%) pointed that it is sometimes difficult to talk to pharmacists due to their business.

General public in Dubai was found aware about community pharmacists’ important role among other healthcare professionals. A shortcoming extracted from this study is the inadequate time community pharmacists spend with their consumers. Moreover, Consumers sometimes felt that they can buy any medicines from the pharmacy upon self inquiry.