The knowledge and attitudes of pharmacists related to the use of dietary supplements: An observational study in northeastern Italy

Laura Brunelli; Luca Arnoldo; Giada Mazzilis; Matteo d'Angelo; Laura Colautti; Pier Giorgio Cojutti; Maria Parpinel

doi:10.1016/j.pmedr.2022.101986

The knowledge and attitudes of pharmacists related to the use of dietary supplements: An observational study in northeastern Italy

Prev Med Rep. 2022 Sep 19:30:101986. doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2022.101986. eCollection 2022 Dec.

Authors

Laura Brunelli^{1

2}, Luca Arnoldo^{1

2}, Giada Mazzilis¹, Matteo d'Angelo¹, Laura Colautti³, Pier Giorgio Cojutti⁴, Maria Parpinel¹

Affiliations

¹ Dipartimento di Area Medica, Università degli Studi di Udine, via Colugna, 50, Udine, Italy.
² SOC Rischio Clinico, Qualità e Accreditamento, Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Friuli Centrale, via Pozzuolo 330, Udine, Italy.
³ Farmacia Degrassi, via Monte Grappa, 79, Udine, Italy.
⁴ Farmacologia Clinica, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy.

Abstract

Inappropriate use of dietary supplements can be potentially harmful to patients, especially given the uncontrolled information on the Internet and social media. The role that pharmacists play in advising citizens and purchasing these products can help improve their safer use, but the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of these professionals on this topic are still largely unknown. Pharmacists in the Italian Region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia (FVG) were surveyed from September 2020 to February 2021 using a 54-item online questionnaire. The questions were related to knowledge, attitudes, and practice. Data on gender, age, work experience, degree, and function in pharmacy were also collected. 232 questionnaires were completed, predominantly by women (71 %). The majority of respondents had a degree in Pharmacy (77 %) and were employed in a pharmacy (66 %) where they had worked for at least 10 years (61 %). Pharmacists' knowledge was rated as low, with one-third of participants above the median; knowledge was higher among more experienced pharmacists. Larger knowledge gaps were noted regarding the potential carcinogenicity of multivitamin misuse and the undesirable presence of unlabeled ingredients in dietary supplements. Employees were more likely than owners to report purchasing dietary supplements at the direct request of patients (p < 0.05). The low level of pharmacists' knowledge about the use of dietary supplements is unsatisfactory, with concerning impact on patient safety. Young professionals in particular would benefit from continuous education to better advise patients. Nevertheless, the European regulatory framework for the manufacture, sale and post-marketing surveillance of dietary supplements needs to be strengthened.

Keywords: CENSIS, Italian Centre for Social Studies and Policies; Counselling; Dietary supplements; EC, European Community; EU-GDPR, European General Data Protection Regulation; FDA, Food and Drug Administration; FVG, Friuli Venezia Giulia; KAP, knowledge, attitudes, practices; Nutrition; Patient safety; Pharmacists; SD, standard deviation.