Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40629378›Full record

ArticleBMC health services research2025

Pharmacists' knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward preventing congenital disabilities: a cross sectional study in Saudi Arabia.

Fahad S Alshehri, Nasser M Alorfi, Ahmed M Ashour, Ammar Abdulrahman Jairoun, Saad M Wali, Mohammed M Aldurdunji, Shaker T Alsharif, Reem Hasaballah Alhasani, Nasser M Aldekhail, Abdullah S Alshehri and 1 more

Abstract read
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Article in BMC health services research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Fahad S AlshehriPharmacology and Toxicology Department, College of Pharmacy, Umm Al- Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia. fsshehri@uqu.edu.sa.
Nasser M AlorfiPharmacology and Toxicology Department, College of Pharmacy, Umm Al- Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Ahmed M AshourPharmacology and Toxicology Department, College of Pharmacy, Umm Al- Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Ammar Abdulrahman JairounDiscipline of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University Sains Malaysia (USM), Gelugor, Pulau Pinang, 11500, Malaysia.
Saad M WaliPharmacology and Toxicology Department, College of Pharmacy, Umm Al- Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Mohammed M AldurdunjiPharmaceutical Practices Department, College of Pharmacy, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Shaker T AlsharifPharmaceutical sciences Department, College of Pharmacy, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Reem Hasaballah AlhasaniDepartment of Biology, Faculty of Science, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Nasser M AldekhailDepartment of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Nursing and Medical Sciences, Riyadh Elm University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Abdullah S AlshehriPharmaceutical Care Services, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard- Health Affairs, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Alqassem Y HakamiCollege of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Funding

King Salman center For Disability Research KSRG-2024-211
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCongenital impairments, arising from a range of genetic, environmental, dietary, and teratogenic factors, are a significant public health concern. Pharmacists play a key role in preventing these conditions by ensuring pharmaceutical safety and providing maternal health education. However, there is limited research on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of pharmacists in Saudi Arabia regarding the causes of congenital impairments.

objectivesThis study aimed to assess pharmacists' awareness, perceptions, and practices related to these factors and identify key demographic influences on their knowledge and engagement.

methodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted among licensed pharmacists based in Saudi Arabia, including those working in clinical, academic, hospital, and community settings. A standardized and validated questionnaire comprising 30 items divided across knowledge, attitude, and practice domains was used to assess pharmacists' perspectives. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multivariate linear regression to identify the key demographic factors associated with knowledge, attitudes, and practice scores.

resultsThe study included a total of 424 pharmacists, the majority of whom held a master's degree (60.4%), were male (73.6%), and were aged between 25 and 34 years old (41.5%). Hospital pharmacists achieved significantly higher knowledge (4.39 ± 1.48, P < 0.001), attitude (29.20 ± 5.49, P = 0.000), and practice (33.16 ± 6.84, P < 0.001) scores than community pharmacists. The knowledge gaps identified concerned the impact of environmental contaminants (28.5%) and maternal obesity (30.9%) on fetal development. However, pharmacists showed strong positive attitudes toward preventive measures, with 49.1% supporting increased training and 52.8% endorsing genetic screening as essential interventions.

conclusionThe study highlights significant gaps in pharmacists' understanding and practice concerning congenital impairments, particularly regarding lifestyle and environmental risk factors. Despite strong support for pharmacist training, participation in public health campaigns and patient counseling on teratogenic risks remains limited. To enhance congenital disability prevention efforts in Saudi Arabia, these findings emphasize the need for improved pharmacist knowledge, structured training programs, and more extensive integration of pharmacists within maternal healthcare teams.

Indexed as

Health Knowledge, Attitudes, PracticePharmacistsAdultCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedSaudi ArabiaSurveys and QuestionnairesYoung AdultCongenital impairmentsHealth educationMaternal healthPublic health pharmacyTeratogens

Identifiers

PMID40629378
PMCPMC12235763

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.