Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Towards COVID-19 Among Pharmacists: A Cross-Sectional Study

PURPOSE: The COVID-19 outbreak has caused governments to put pandemic-related guidelines requiring compliance and understanding by healthcare professionals to mitigate its spread uncontrollably. We studied pharmacists’ knowledge, attitude, and practice towards the COVD-19 outbreak compared with other healthcare workers during the pandemic in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: We surveyed pharmacists’ socio-demographics (n=50) compared with other healthcare professionals (n=378) during lockdown starting in June 2020. We measured respondents’ level of knowledge (n=10 questions, maximum score of 10), attitude (n=17 questions, maximum score of 80), and their practices (n=16 questions, maximum score of 80) towards COVID-19 infection. RESULTS: Median knowledge score was 8 (25th–75th percentiles: 7–9), attitude score 76 (70–80) and practice score 74 (68–78). Good knowledge predictors were >20 years working experience [OR: 2.05 (95% CI: 1.03–4.06); P=0.04] and >50% working in clinical practice [OR: 1.72 (95% CI: 1.12–2.66); P=0.01], in inverse relationship with paramedical professions [OR: 0.45 (95% CI: 0.45 (0.28–0.72)); P=0.001] and working in a university hospital [OR: 0.51 (95% CI: 0.33. 0.81); P=0.004]. Availability of pharmaceutical information and treatment options was associated with good attitude [OR: 2.19 (95% CI: 1.04–4.59); P=0.039] and acquaintance as primary information sources negatively associated with good attitude [OR: 0.34 (95% CI: 0.15–0.8); P=0.013]. Good practice predictors were female gender [OR: 3.84 (95% CI: 2.37–6.24); P<0.001], military hospital employment [OR: 2.32 (95% CI: 1.25–4.31); P=0.008], USA [OR: 3.41 (95% CI: 1.03–11.22); P=0.044] or UK [OR: 8.86 (95% CI: 1.91–41.07); P=0.005] qualifications, and information on supportive measures [OR: 2.2 (95% CI: 1.36–3.56); P=0.001]. CONCLUSION: Health workers displayed good knowledge about COVID-19, while profession and working experience predicted adequate knowledge, positive attitude, or practice towards disease management.