Abstract
BACKGROUND: In the modern healthcare paradigm, pharmacists play an essential role in improving dermatological care by providing effective and safe instructions. Adequate knowledge and good practices in dispensing dermatological medications are key to improving treatment outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, practices, and educational needs of community pharmacists (CPs) regarding the use of topical medications in the treatment of chronic skin conditions. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted January-May 2024 among community pharmacists in the northern West Bank, Palestine. The data were collected via a questionnaire surveying demographic characteristics and testing the knowledge and practices of CPs regarding dermatological care in pharmacy practice. The data were analysed via descriptive and inferential statistics, using the Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests for bivariate analysis and linear regression for multivariate analysis. RESULTS: A total of 252 CPs completed the questionnaires. The mean age of the participants was 34.9 years (SD ± 11.2), with 149 females (59.1%) and 103 males (40.9%). The majority of the respondents had graduated from a local university (78.2%) and held an undergraduate degree (67.9%). Most had developed their knowledge in dermatological pharmacology through field experience (79.0%), but they highlighted the need to expand their knowledge (85.3%) and preferred either face-to-face lectures or accredited professional training as methods of education. The median knowledge score was 13.0/25.0. The participants reported knowledge gaps in identifying the most prescribed treatments for major skin diseases and the proper use and characteristics of topical medications. The median practice score was 32.5/40.0. Moreover, the participants demonstrated better practices in discussing the duration, frequency, and amount of treatment than in discussing the side effects and storage of dermatological medications. The knowledge score was significantly associated with gender, location of undergraduate study, employment capacity, practice area, and working hours per week, whereas the practice score was significantly associated with the location of undergraduate study and number of working hours. The knowledge and practice scores were positively correlated. CONCLUSIONS: CPs had multiple knowledge gaps in choosing appropriate treatments and providing use instructions regarding dermatological medications. Moreover, the CPs stressed the need to improve their knowledge about dermatological care. The implementation of continuous professional development interventions and enhancing the dermatological content of undergraduate programs are recommended to meet these education needs.