Objectives: This study aims to determine females’ views, experiences, and attitudes regarding the cesarean section (CS) and to explore the factors that increase the prevalence of CS in Jordan. Method: This is a cross-sectional study using a questionnaire that was distributed electronically through social media websites. Study participants included 1005 females with a history of at least one CS. Awareness, experiences about CS, complications, and reasons for performing CS were investigated. Result: Most of the respondents stated that the source of there knowledge about CS was from the internet (36.2%) followed by family and friends (31.6%). The majority of respondents were satisfied with their CS experience (72.=8%). More than half of the participants (56.9%) reported that CS carries no risk for infants. About 53% of respondents stated that the most common reason leading women to choose to give birth via CS is the fear of labor pain. However, the majority of the respondents disagree with performing CS under maternal request (59.2%). Conclusion: This study indicated that Jordanian females don’t have reliable sources of information about CS. This leads to lower awareness of CS and its complications and, as expected, CS is more likely to be performed by privately insured women.

Background: Pharmacogenomics (PG) is a modern tool of personalizing treatment protocols to improve the efficacy and safety of drug prescriptions. These benefits are offset by a slow uptake in clinical application due to a host of physician factors, patient factors, and/or health system factors. Our study, thus, aimed to determine the knowledge, attitude, future expectations, and perceived barriers of medical students and physicians in Jordan regarding PG testing. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted between February-August 2019. Physicians and senior medical students from academic and non-academic institutions in North Jordan (n=424) were surveyed. A structured, self-administered questionnaire was designed and piloted for the purpose of the study. A scoring system for each dimension assessed was calculated and presented using means. Mean scores were compared by sociodemographic and professional variables. Results: The response rate was 70.7%. The mean total PG knowledge score (±SD) was 5.42 (±1.51) out of 10, with a significantly higher mean among respondents aged ≥30 years (5.21 ± 1.62) compared to those <30 years-old (5.54 ± 1.43; p= 0.03). The mean total PG attitude score was 21.18 (±2.58) out of 24, with significant differences by seniority levels evident (p= 0.03). The future expectations of PG among our sample were high, with a mean score of 10.44 (±1.64) out of 12. The top three perceived barriers in applying PG were the high cost, lack of clinical guidelines, and limited knowledge and awareness. Conclusion: Physicians and medical students in Jordan have low overall knowledge, albeit strongly positive attitude and future expectations toward PG, despite the perceived high cost and lack of clinical guidelines. Thus, we strongly recommend adopting a comprehensive educational strategy that aims to integrate PG concepts into medical curricula, and promote the culture of continuous medical education about PG among practitioners.

Rational: In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus infectious disease as a pandemic referred to as COVID-19. As an essential service, community pharmacists have been enacting a key role in patient counseling and supply of essential medicines and protective equipment. Objectives: To investigate pharmacists’ perspectives of the role of educational institutes and professional pharmacy organizations in supporting them to take on roles during COVID-19 pandemic and to identify barriers to be able to support themselves and their patients. Methods: This descriptive mixed-method study was conducted via a cross-sectional online survey distributed to pharmacists/pharmacy students in Jordan during the COVID-19 outbreak (15-30 March 2020) using an online questionnaire, followed by an online focus group. Questionnaire items related to participants’ perspectives in being prepared for and supported in their roles during the COVID-19 pandemic and items were tested for face validity. Data were descriptively analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences and triangulated with focus group findings. Results: Considering that fear and anxiety are a consequence of mass social distancing/quarantine, study participants (n=726, age=26.9 (SD=8.0) years, 71.9% females), reported needing training on mental healthcare to be able to support themselves and people during pandemics (90.2%). Most respondents agreed/strongly agreed (59.7%) with the statement around pharmacy educators/educational institutes having a key role in preparing pharmacists for practice during epidemics/pandemics, and agreed that their faculties should add a course regarding pandemic preparedness in their curriculum (89.9%). Results were similar regarding roles for the pharmaceutical associations. Focus group findings (n=7) mirrored the survey findings to a large extent. Conclusions: Most participants believed that Pharmacy Educators and pharmaceutical associations have a role in preparing them to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic through online educational workshops/webinars. Online education on mental healthcare is specifically needed.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to assess the barriers to treatment adherence and need for pharmaceutical care services among HIV patients in Jordan. Method: This is a qualitative in-depth interview study. Participants were recruited with the assistance of a Non-governmental organization specialized in HIV patients. Fifteen patients were interviewed using a pre-designed interview guide. Recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim, and de-identified prior to analysis. Results were then imported into QSR International’s NVivo 11 Software. Results: Three main themes emerged from the interviews. Those included patient-related factors, medication-related factors and Healthcare professional related factors. This study found that a number of barriers that decreased adherence in HIV patients included stigmatization, fear from disclosure, dosage form of the drug, adverse events, and poor cooperation from healthcare professionals. On the other hand, supporting factors included family and friends support, electronic mobile reminders, feeling responsible to raising children, religious beliefs, and feeling improvement while using therapy. Furthermore, the study illustrated that HIV patients need to have a specialist pharmacist in their healthcare team who delivers specialized pharmaceutical care services which may increase patients’ adherence. Conclusion: Adherence to HIV treatment is subjective and related to various barriers and supporting factors. Participants reported a strong need for pharmaceutical care services, HIV specialized pharmacists, and a pharmacist that treats them with empathy and understand what they are going through. There is still a need to develop educational programs and implement proper counseling in order to improve Jordanian pharmacist awareness about HIV disease and treatment options.