Exploring the pharmacist’s role in pregnancy care: perceptions, practices, competencies, and barriers
Pregnant women often worry about medication effects on their unborn child, leading to inadequate care and potential risks to maternal and fetal health. Research on community pharmacists’ role in prenatal care is limited. This cross-sectional study used a validated, self-administered survey distribut...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2025-12-01
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| Series: | Critical Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/09581596.2025.2493790 |
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| author | Anan S. Jarab Walid Al-Qerem Karem H. Alzoubi Yukta Sughand Shrouq R. Abu Heshmeh Yazid N. Al Hamarneh Judith Eberhardt |
| author_facet | Anan S. Jarab Walid Al-Qerem Karem H. Alzoubi Yukta Sughand Shrouq R. Abu Heshmeh Yazid N. Al Hamarneh Judith Eberhardt |
| author_sort | Anan S. Jarab |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Pregnant women often worry about medication effects on their unborn child, leading to inadequate care and potential risks to maternal and fetal health. Research on community pharmacists’ role in prenatal care is limited. This cross-sectional study used a validated, self-administered survey distributed to 405 pharmacists across the United Arab Emirates to evaluate their perceptions, practices, competencies, and barriers in pregnancy care. Data were analyzed using quantile regression to identify associations between demographic and professional factors. Female pharmacists had more favorable perceptions (coefficient = 1.508) and higher competencies (coefficient = 0.457). Pharmacists without pregnancy-related postgraduate training reported less favorable perceptions (coefficient = −2.201) and lower practice levels (coefficient = −0.852). Higher practice levels, reflecting frequent engagement in key pregnancy care activities, were associated with spending more time with patients (coefficient = 0.204) and having favorable perceptions (coefficient = 0.488). Conversely, lower practice levels, indicating less frequent involvement, were linked to less experience and lack of training. Key barriers included insufficient training and limited knowledge of updated guidelines. The findings reflect wider global challenges and highlight the need for training and guidance to strengthen pharmacists’ contribution to maternal health. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a78c1f70c47d4305b3fa800ccb9ac0cb |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 0958-1596 1469-3682 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Critical Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-a78c1f70c47d4305b3fa800ccb9ac0cb2025-08-20T02:12:03ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCritical Public Health0958-15961469-36822025-12-0135110.1080/09581596.2025.2493790Exploring the pharmacist’s role in pregnancy care: perceptions, practices, competencies, and barriersAnan S. Jarab0Walid Al-Qerem1Karem H. Alzoubi2Yukta Sughand3Shrouq R. Abu Heshmeh4Yazid N. Al Hamarneh5Judith Eberhardt6College of Pharmacy, Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab EmiratesDepartment of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan, Amman, JordanFaculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, JordanCollege of Pharmacy, Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab EmiratesFaculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, JordanFaculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, CanadaDepartment of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Law, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, United KingdomPregnant women often worry about medication effects on their unborn child, leading to inadequate care and potential risks to maternal and fetal health. Research on community pharmacists’ role in prenatal care is limited. This cross-sectional study used a validated, self-administered survey distributed to 405 pharmacists across the United Arab Emirates to evaluate their perceptions, practices, competencies, and barriers in pregnancy care. Data were analyzed using quantile regression to identify associations between demographic and professional factors. Female pharmacists had more favorable perceptions (coefficient = 1.508) and higher competencies (coefficient = 0.457). Pharmacists without pregnancy-related postgraduate training reported less favorable perceptions (coefficient = −2.201) and lower practice levels (coefficient = −0.852). Higher practice levels, reflecting frequent engagement in key pregnancy care activities, were associated with spending more time with patients (coefficient = 0.204) and having favorable perceptions (coefficient = 0.488). Conversely, lower practice levels, indicating less frequent involvement, were linked to less experience and lack of training. Key barriers included insufficient training and limited knowledge of updated guidelines. The findings reflect wider global challenges and highlight the need for training and guidance to strengthen pharmacists’ contribution to maternal health.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/09581596.2025.2493790Community pharmacistpregnancy careperceptionpracticecompetencybarriers |
| spellingShingle | Anan S. Jarab Walid Al-Qerem Karem H. Alzoubi Yukta Sughand Shrouq R. Abu Heshmeh Yazid N. Al Hamarneh Judith Eberhardt Exploring the pharmacist’s role in pregnancy care: perceptions, practices, competencies, and barriers Critical Public Health Community pharmacist pregnancy care perception practice competency barriers |
| title | Exploring the pharmacist’s role in pregnancy care: perceptions, practices, competencies, and barriers |
| title_full | Exploring the pharmacist’s role in pregnancy care: perceptions, practices, competencies, and barriers |
| title_fullStr | Exploring the pharmacist’s role in pregnancy care: perceptions, practices, competencies, and barriers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring the pharmacist’s role in pregnancy care: perceptions, practices, competencies, and barriers |
| title_short | Exploring the pharmacist’s role in pregnancy care: perceptions, practices, competencies, and barriers |
| title_sort | exploring the pharmacist s role in pregnancy care perceptions practices competencies and barriers |
| topic | Community pharmacist pregnancy care perception practice competency barriers |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/09581596.2025.2493790 |
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