Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of community pharmacists toward the management of acne vulgaris in Palestine: a cross‐sectional study

BACKGROUND: Acne vulgaris (AV) is a common dermatological disease affecting almost 85% of teenagers. Patients with AV usually present at community pharmacies during the early stages of their disease. AIM: The aim of this study was to assess community pharmacists' knowledge, attitudes, and practice toward AV management in West Bank in Palestine. METHODS: This study was a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study. The questionnaire included four sections: 1) demographic, 2) knowledge, 3) attitude and practice items related causes, and 4) treatment options and counseling during management of patients with AV. A convenience sampling method was implemented in this study. Parametric and non-parametric tests were used to compare different issues as appropriate. P < 0.05 were considered significant. RESULT: A total of 270 community pharmacists were interviewed, and more than half (54.1%) were males. The study revealed that community pharmacists had an inadequate level of knowledge on management of AV; only 7.7% had high levels of knowledge. Pharmacists have positive attitude regarding AV management, but inadequate knowledge was reflected on their treatment practices; only 10% of participants independently dealt with AV without referral. Pharmacists with a low level of knowledge showed five times more referrals than those with a high level of knowledge (OR: 5.3; P < 0.001), and those with a bachelor degree showed three times more referrals than postgraduates (OR: 3.3; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: There is a demand to update dermatological knowledge of community pharmacists and encourage them to attend structured training programs about the management of AV.