Table 2 The responses of pharmacists and the reliability analysis on various statements regarding KAP and barriers towards asthma management (n = 550)
Questions | Yes, Response (%) or (Mean ± SD) | Cronbach’s alpha | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Knowledge | 1. | Do you know the typical respiratory symptoms of asthma | 522 (94.4) | 0.85 |
2. | Do you know how to use the peak flow meter | 509 (92.5) | ||
3. | Do you how to assess severity of your asthma patient? | 426 (77.5) | ||
4. | Do you know that using Steroid inhalation can affect significantly child's growth | 381 (69.2) | ||
5. | Are you aware of the recent asthma treatment guidelines | 183 (33.4) | ||
6. | Do you know that GINA no longer recommends SABA treatment alone without ICS even with mild intermittent asthma | 124 (22.5) | ||
7. | Do you know the recent concerns about using SABA only | 200 (36.3) | ||
8. | Do you know that you should advise patients to avoid using nebulizer as possible for fear of infection transmission in the current epidemic situation | 208 (37.8) | ||
9. | Do you know that patients should avoid spirometry with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases | 210 (38.8) | ||
Attitude | 1. | The pharmacist plays a very important role in the asthma care team | 4.14 ± 1.10 | 0.78 |
2. | Do you consider yourself able to manage asthma patients? | 3.97 ± 1.07 | ||
3. | Pharmacist need to attend more CME programs to qualify as a competent asthma educator | 4.37 ± 0.94 | ||
4. | The outcome of asthma management is greatly dependent on patient behaviors rather than pharmacists’ efforts | 3.52 ± 1.15 | ||
5. | Asthmatic patients may benefit from disease monitoring with peak flow meter | 3.89 ± 1.9 | ||
6. | Proper asthmatic patient counseling greatly affects the success of asthma management | 3.60 ± 1.13 | ||
Practice | 1. | Do you perform a detailed history examination for asthma | 2.63 ± 0.97 | 0.81 |
2. | Do you identify the modifiable risk factors for poor asthma outcomes? | 3.55 ± 1.32 | ||
3. | Do you check if the patient has a written asthma plan? | 2.81 ± 1.16 | ||
4. | Do you check patients inhalation technique | 3.10 ± 0.77 | ||
5. | Do you ask patients about their preference in asthma treatment | 2.64 ± 1.36 | ||
6. | Do you ask the patient about their treatment side effects? | 2.50 ± 0.88 | ||
7. | Do you open an empathic discussion with patients about their adherence | 2.69 ± 0.97 | ||
8. | Do you advise patients to regularly take their ICS as that might worsen their asthma medications | 3.32 ± 1.22 | ||
9. | Do you advise patients to discuss with you before stopping any of their medication | 3.04 ± 0.91 | ||
10. | Do you teach patients about self-monitoring of symptoms | 3.17 ± 1.56 | ||
11. | Do you assess symptoms control over the last 4 weeks? | 3.30 ± 0.59 | ||
12. | Do you use PEFM for follow-up of asthma patient? | 3.29 ± 0.92 | ||
13. | Do you consider stepping down asthma treatment after proper asthma | 3.61 ± 1.11 | ||
14. | Do you schedule a follow-up visit for asthma patients control for 3 months | 3.50 ± 1.21 | ||
Barriers | 1. | Lack of time by the pharmacist | 4.02 ± 2.1 | 0.83 |
2. | Lack of time by the patient | 4.13 ± 0.84 | ||
3. | Pharmacists’ perception that it is not their role | 2.91 ± 0.92 | ||
4. | Patient’s perception that it is not the pharmacist’s role | 3.84 ± 0.69 | ||
5. | No financial incentive | 3.43 ± 0.92 | ||
6. | Lack of pharmacist confidence and skills in asthma management | 3.16 ± 0.88 | ||
7. | Lack of pharmacist confidence and skills in asthma counseling | 2.69 ± 0.59 | ||
8. | Lack of pharmacist confidence and skills in asthma monitoring | 3.56 ± 1.10 | ||