How medicines sales staff is responding to presumptive COVID‐19 patients attending drug retail outlets: An exploratory qualitative study. (13th August 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Atif, Muhammad; Ahmad, Muhammad; Malik, Iram; Mushtaq, Irem; Ahmad, Nafees; Mehjabin, ; Babar, Zaheer‐Ud‐Din
• Is Part Of: International journal of health planning and management. Volume 36:Number 6(2021)
• Page Start: 2297
• Page End: 2312
• Publication Date: 2021-08-13
• Subjects: community pharmacies -- COVID‐19 -- drug retail outlets -- Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan -- medicines sales staff -- pharmacy services; Health planning -- Periodicals; Health services administration -- Periodicals; Santé publique -- Planification -- Périodiques; Santé, Services de -- Administration -- Périodiques; 362.1068
• DOI: 10.1002/hpm.3293
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0749-6753

Abstract

Abstract: The objective of this qualitative study was to explore how the medicine sales staff responded to presumptive COVID‐19 patients in Pakistan. The data were obtained from the medicine sales staff working at drug retail outlets of Bahawalpur, Punjab, Pakistan, through in‐depth face‐to‐face interviews using a semi‐structured interview guide. A two‐step sampling strategy was used, including purposive and convenient sampling techniques. Sample size was determined by applying the saturation point criteria. A total of 17 interviews were audio‐recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using the thematic analysis. Analysis of data yielded six themes and seven sub‐themes. The themes included (1) knowledge about various aspects of COVID‐19, (2) practices of sales staff in response to COVID‐19 pandemic, (3) attitude of sales staff towards COVID‐19 pandemic, (4) services offered to presumptive COVID‐19 patients, (5) challenges encountered during pandemic and (6) suggestions to improve delivery of pharmacy services by sales staff. In Pakistan, non‐pharmacist sales staff had superficial knowledge about COVID‐19. Presumptive COVID‐19 patients were provided with only basic pharmacy services. Professional training is advised among pharmacy sales staff as a short‐term solution to improve their knowledge. As a long‐term goal, the availability of pharmacists at drug retail outlets is warranted.