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Students’ perceptions of the role of pharmacists in the healthcare system in Lahore, Pakistan


Imran Hameed Khaliq
Farhan Hameed Khaliq
Yaseen Abdullah
Hafiz Zahid Mahmood
Muhammad Danish Sarfraz
Saeed Ahmad
Shakila Zaman

Abstract

Purpose: To explore the role of pharmacists in the healthcare system of Lahore, Pakistan; and to determine association between students’ socio-demographic indicators and the likelihood of consulting with a pharmacist.
Methods: In this exploratory study, data were collected from 589 students at a private sector university in Lahore, Pakistan, using a convenient sampling design. Information was collected using a semistructured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics (i.e., mean, standard deviation, percentages) and chi square were employed.
Results: Of 621 questionnaires, a total of 589 were returned, giving a response rate of 94.85 %. The results showed that 289 students (49.06 %) have interacted with pharmacists; however, the majority of the students (98.64 %) agreed there is a strong need for pharmacists who can provide guidance on medication safety. Furthermore, there was a statistically significant association between family system (x2 (1) = 4.046, p = 0.004), age of family head (x2 (1) = 11.755, p = 0.001), education level of family head (x2 (1) = 10.473, p = 0.001), and consulting a pharmacist.
Conclusion: There are important roles for pharmacists to play in order to improve the healthcare system of Lahore, Pakistan. Some social demographics affect the likelihood that a person will seek professional counseling from a pharmacist.

Keywords: Medication safety, Healthcare system, Pharmacist consultation, Students’ perception


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eISSN: 1596-9827
print ISSN: 1596-5996