Effect of Divergence in
Patients’ Socioeconomic Background on their Perspective
of the Role of the Community Pharmacist in Amman, Jordan
Eyad Qunaibi1*,
Iman A Basheti1,
Salim A Hamadi2, Nailya R Bulatova3,
Adam Shanah1 and Eman Abu-Gharbieh4
1Faculty of Pharmacy, Applied
Sciences University, Amman, 2Department
of Pharmacology & Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of
Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, Petra University,
3Department of
Biopharmaceutics & Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of
Pharmacy, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan,
4Dubai Pharmacy College,
Dubai, UAE.
*For correspondence:
E-mail:
yequnaibi@asu.edu.jo or
eyadqunaibi@yahoo.com
Received: 24 May
2012
Revised accepted:
15 January 2013
Tropical
Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, April 2013;
12(2): 247-253
http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/tjpr.v12i2.18
Abstract
Purpose: To examine the effect of divergence
in patients’ socioeconomic background on their
perspective of the roles of the pharmacist in Amman,
Jordan.
Methods: This was a single-phase
observational study conducted in two different
socioeconomic areas: Western (WA) and Eastern Amman (EA,
which is of a lower socioeconomic status than WA) in
March to May of both 2009 and 2010. A validated
questionnaire was completed by patients walking into
community pharmacies. The source of advice (clinical
specialist, general practitioner, pharmacist, nurse or
herbalist) regarding patient's disease management and
medication use, as well as patients’ expectation of the
pharmacist were investigated.
Results: 2000 patients (mean age: 35.1 ± 13.7
years, 57.2 % males) visiting community pharmacies in
Amman (1000 each from WA and EA) took part in the study.
The majority of patients chose the pharmacist as the
source of advice on medication use (WA, 50.8 %; EA, 53.6
%), followed by the clinical specialist (WA, 35.7 % vs
EA, 26.9 %, p = 0.001). Other aspects of patient
perspective and expectation of the pharmacist were also
assessed; in several instances, more reliance on the
pharmacist was observed in EA (lower socioeconomic
status) than in WA.
Conclusion: The findings of this study is
important for future social pharmacy studies in the
area, as it shows that socioeconomic status influences
patient’s perception of the role of the community
pharmacist in Amman, Jordan.
Keywords: Socioeconomic status, Community pharmacist,
Jordan, Patient perception, Counseling
