Attitude and perception of pharmacists and healthcare professionals about the criteria used in drug formulary selection in the United Arab Emirates

Sabaa Saleh Al-Hemyari; Dzul Azri Mohamed Noor; Faris El-Dahiyat

doi:10.1186/s40545-022-00460-w

Attitude and perception of pharmacists and healthcare professionals about the criteria used in drug formulary selection in the United Arab Emirates

J Pharm Policy Pract. 2022 Oct 18;15(1):67. doi: 10.1186/s40545-022-00460-w.

Authors

Sabaa Saleh Al-Hemyari¹, Dzul Azri Mohamed Noor¹, Faris El-Dahiyat^{2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Health and Safety Department, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang, 11800, Gelugor, Malaysia.
² Clinical Pharmacy Program, College of Pharmacy, Al Ain University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. faris.dahiyat@aau.ac.ae.
³ AAU Health and Biomedical Research Center, Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. faris.dahiyat@aau.ac.ae.

Abstract

Background: There is lack of both resources and expertise explains the limited extent to which pharmacoeconomic evidence is used in formulary decision-making.

Objectives: The present study aims to assess attitude and perceptions toward the criteria used to select formulary drugs among UAE healthcare organizations.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted amongst the licensed physicians in all specialties, all pharmacists and other healthcare professionals with a minimum of 3 month experience those registered with Ministry of health and prevention and those working in the private sector in the UAE. Participants are sent an email containing a validated web-based electronic link to access the questionnaire. The questionnaire composed of two sections is used to assess the healthcare professionals' attitude and perceptions regarding the criteria used to select formulary drugs. Data analysis were done using SPSS Version 24.

Results: A total of 866 respondents participated in the study and completed the whole questionnaire. The average attitude score about the criteria used in drug formulary selection was 84.5% with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of [83.9%, 85.4%]. Of the total participants, 27 (3.1%) had poor attitude about the criteria used in drug formulary selection, 240 (27.7%) had moderate attitude and 599 (69.2%) had good attitude. The results of statistical modeling showed that education level, area of expertise and age were jointly highly associated with attitude about the criteria used in drug formulary selection.

Conclusions: The study revealed that pharmacists and Healthcare professionals had a good attitude about the criteria used in drug formulary selection in the United Arab Emirates. This study purposed to provide Emirate pharmacy and therapeutics policy makers with a clear criterion of best practice related to methodological recommendations to help in increasing the utilization and implementation of pharmacoeconomic evidence in the drug formulary selection process.

Keywords: Attitude; Drug formulary selection; Healthcare professionals; Knowledge; Perception; Pharmacist; Pharmacoeconomics.