KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES AND PERCEIVED PRACTICE TOWARDS ASTHMA AMONG PHARMACY STUDENTS IN SOUTHERN NIGERIA

Kosisochi Chinwendu Amorha; Chioma Love Okpe; Obinna Felix Dim

doi:10.22159/ijpps.2018v10i11.27404

Authors

Kosisochi Chinwendu Amorha Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Management, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, PMB 41001 Enugu State, Nigeria
Chioma Love Okpe Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Management, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, PMB 41001 Enugu State, Nigeria
Obinna Felix Dim Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Management, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, PMB 41001 Enugu State, Nigeria

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22159/ijpps.2018v10i11.27404

Keywords:

Attitudes, Asthma, Knowledge, Pharmacy Students, Practice

Abstract

Objective: To assess the knowledge, attitudes and perceived practice of asthma among final year pharmacy students in Southern Nigeria.

Methods: This was a cross sectional study conducted in six pharmacy schools in Southern Nigeria. A 49-item structured, self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from the final year pharmacy students. Data were analyzed using the IBM Statistical Product for Services Solution (SPSS) for Windows, Version 21.0. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were utilized. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05.

Results: Overall, less than half of the students had good knowledge of asthma (47.7%); good attitudes towards asthma (49.5%); and good perception of the roles of pharmacists in counselling asthma patients (48.1%). SIWES/IT (Students’ Industrial Work Experience Scheme/Industrial Training) improved students’ asthma knowledge (t = 3.119; df = 453; P = 0.002). The University of Lagos (UNILAG) pharmacy students had significantly better asthma knowledge than their University of Uyo (UNIUYO), University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) and University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) counterparts (P<0.05).

Conclusion: Less than half of the pharmacy students had good knowledge of asthma; good attitudes towards asthma and good perception of the roles of pharmacists in counselling asthma patients. UNILAG pharmacy students had significantly better asthma knowledge than most of the other schools. Students who had SIWES/IT experience (Students’ Industrial Working Experience Scheme/Industrial Training) had better asthma knowledge. The SIWES/IT programme should continue.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biography

Kosisochi Chinwendu Amorha, Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Management, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, PMB 41001 Enugu State, Nigeria

Lecturer, Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Management, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, PMB 410001, Enugu State, Nigeria

References

Rakhee S, Rajendra P, Kushwaha R, Surya K, Verma S, Garg R. A study to know the knowledge, attitude, and practices of patients of bronchial asthma. Int J Med Sci Public Health 2013; 3:159-62.

World Health Organization. WHO fact sheet on asthma. Sixty-first World Health Assembly; 2008. Available from: http://www.who.int/respiratory/asthma/en/. [Last accessed on 16 May 2018].

Prakruthi GM, Bharathi DR, Yogananda R. A case control study on determinants of childhood asthma in school children of Chitradurga city. Int J Curr Pharm Res 2018;10:11–5.

Ganapathy RS. A prospective clinical study on disease knowledge and medication adherence pattern among asthmatic patients in tertiary care hospital in a Tirupur population. Asian J Pharm Clin Res 2017;10:388.

Sari CP, Hakim L, Dewa P. Role of pharmacist in counseling asthma to improve patient adherence in Yogyakarta. Asian J Pharm Clin Res 2017;10:16–20.

Oni AO, Erhabor GE, Egbagbe EE. The prevalence, management and burden of asthma-a Nigerian study. Iran J Allergy Asthma Immunol 2010;9:35-41.

Ekpimah E. 100 million Nigerians suffer from asthma in 2025. Punch Newspaper; 2016. Available from: http://www. punchng.com/100-million-nigerians-may-suffer-asthma-2025/. [Last accessed 12 Dec 2017]

Krueger JL. Pharmacy students’ application of knowledge from the classroom to introductory pharmacy practice experiences. Am J Pharm Educ 2013;77:3–9.

Gibson PG, Henry RL, Vimpani GV, Halliday J. Asthma knowledge, attitudes, and quality of life in adolescents. Arch Dis Child 1995;73:321–6. Available from: http://www. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieveanddb=PubMedanddopt=Citationandlist_uids=7492196%5Cnpapers2://publication/uuid/E68BD9C6-68A8-468D-AEE8-A1DBED11D681. [Last accessed 16 May 2018]

Prasad R, Kushwaha RAS, Verma S, Kumar S, Verma A. A study to know the knowledge, attitude, and practices of patients of bronchial asthma. Int J Med Sci Public Health 2013;3:159.

Chukwuedo S. Students perception of the influence of students industrial work experience scheme (SIWES) on academic achievement. JEHP 2011;1:80-6.

Chiang Y, Lee C, Lin Y, Yen Y. Impact of a continuing education program on pharmacists’ knowledge and attitudes toward asthma patient care. Med Princ Pract 2010;19:305–11.

Basheti IA, Qunaibi EA, Hamadi SA, Reddel HK. Inhaler technique training and healthcare professionals. Effective long-term solution for a current problem. Respiratory Care 2014;59:1716-25.

Desolu OO, Busari O, Onyedum CC, Salawu FK, Obateru OA, Nwogu KC, et al. Evaluation of current knowledge, awareness and practice of spirometry among hospital-based Nigerian doctors. BMC J 2009;9:6-10.

Akram W, Hussein MSE, Ahmad S, Mamat MN, Ismail NE. Validation of the knowledge, attitude and perceived practice of asthma instrument among community pharmacists using Rasch analysis. Saudi Pharm J 2015;23:499–503.

Kritikos VS, Reddel HK, Bosnic-Anticevich SZ. Pharmacists’ perceptions of their role in asthma management and barriers to the provision of asthma services. Int J Pharm Pract 2010;18:209–16.

Odili VU, Ajayi FT. Assessing the knowledge of asthma among community pharmacists in Edo State. Int J Health Sci Res 2009;2:315-21.