Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (K.A.P) of Pharmacy Pharmacists of the Department of Dakar in the Care of Diabetics

Aim: To evaluate the attitude practice and knowledge of pharmacists in the management of diabetes in the department of Dakar. Methodology: Cross-sectional study, conducted from 01 March to 30 September 2017 including all pharmacists in the Dakar region who agreed to participate in the survey. Data was collected through a pre-established questionnaire. Results: A total of 144 pharmacists were included in the study, representing a participation rate of 87.58%. The average age was 33.90 years, with a sex ratio of 1.69. Pharmacists were single in 50.88% of cases, and a minimum experience of 5 years was found in 64.03% of cases. Pharmacist assistants accounted for 57.9% of our study population. The assessment of knowledge based on 16 items shows an average score of 9.02. The level of knowledge was low to insufficient in 37.21% of cases, average in (50%) half of cases and good for (13.16%). Less than half (34.21%) of pharmacists had received training and the average date of last training was 33.76 ± 24.6 months. Training was provided by medical representatives and academics in 66.66% and 26.67% respectively. The most felt positive feelings were respectively the need for help, the compassion in respectively 98.42%, 42.11%. Feelings felt and simultaneously cited were: need for help and compassion in more than 40% of respondents. Only 29% of pharmacists did not have a lot of difficulty with patient questions and the only reason was the lack of awareness (84.68%) of patients about their disease. Screening for diabetes by capillary blood glucose was performed by 57% of pharmacists. Dietary advice (76.15%) and referral to the hospital (94.41%) were the most common practices in case of blood sugar disruption. The dialogue with patients was impossible in 22.81% of pharmacists and the main reasons given were lack of time (53.85%) and lack of knowledge (34.62%). The method of delivery of insulin was done on: medical prescription (98.25%), presentation of the box (69.30%), on request of the patient (54.39%). Only one pharmacist recognized advising insulin (0.88%). The delivery of oral antidiabetic agents was: on medical prescription (96.49%), presentation of the box (67.54%), at the request of the patient (52.63%). The good level of knowledge was more found in the subjects after 40 years (p = 0.69), the female sex (p = 0.84), the assistants and holders (p = 0.24), after 5 years of professional experience (p = 0.13). Conclusion: Despite the lack of knowledge of pharmacists, attitudes and practices are considered satisfactory in the management of diabetics. Continuing medical education sessions could strengthen knowledge and consolidate the attitudes and practices of community pharmacists.