Knowledge and attitude of community pharmacists towards the practice of pharmaceutical public health in north-central Nigeria

Abstract

Purpose: The knowledge and attitude of community pharmacists towards pharmaceutical public health (PPH) practice is critical to service outcomes and program effectiveness. However, there is limited evidence on the impact of knowledge and attitude of community pharmacists on the practice of public health in Nigeria. The aim of this study was to investigate the knowledge and attitude of community pharmacists towards the practice of pharmaceutical public health in Jos, North-Central Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in Jos, North-Central, Nigeria. A pre-tested 42-item questionnaire was self-administered to 105 community pharmacists selected using a cluster random sampling method. Ninety-seven questionnaires were returned giving a 92% response rate. Structural equation modeling was used to explore the association and causality among study variables. Results: The study showed some evidence that: (a) community pharmacists are generally knowledgeable with a positive attitude towards pharmaceutical public health (b) knowledge and attitude combined have a significant impact on the practice of public health (r=1.627; p = 0.001), but knowledge alone does not significantly impact practice; (c) notwithstanding, the practice of public health is not significantly affected by certain perceived constraints at p=0.230. Conclusion: Knowledge about public health does not automatically translate to the practice of public health without some support or motivation like community pharmacists’ positive attitude towards public health. For a more impactful PPH practice, professional and regulatory bodies would need to develop and implement national guidelines on pharmaceutical public health practice. This could significantly foster the practice of public health by community pharmacists. Keywords: Community pharmacists, pharmaceutical public health