Community Pharmacists’ Knowledge Related To Women’s Issues In Epilepsy: A Pilot Study To Inform Advances In Pharmaceutical Care In Peninsular Malaysia

Abstract

Introduction: Despite the majority of epilepsy-related disease burden affecting patients in the Global South, there is limited data available on the comprehension and awareness of healthcare professionals regarding women’s epilepsy-related issues from these countries. The aim of this pilot study was to assess the epilepsy-related knowledge – with a special focus on women’s health and antiepileptic drug (AED) management – of community pharmacists in Peninsular Malaysia.

Methodology: A descriptive, cross-sectional survey was conducted from 15 March 2024 and 1 June 2024, using self-administered, standardized, open online questionnaire, in accordance with CHERRIES guidelines. Descriptive statistics, χ² and Fisher’s exact tests, and regression analyses were performed using IBM SPSS 25.0.

Results: n=81 (response rate: 36.5%) pharmacists completed the questionnaire; the majority were female (64.2%; n=52), working in a pharmacy chain (69.1%; n=56) from the East Coast Economic Region of Malaysia (80.2%; n=65). 53.1% (n=43) showed adequate knowledge levels (scores ≥5) women’s epilepsy-related issues; the mean knowledge score achieved by the participating pharmacists was 4.96±2.62 (out of 10). Not receiving training on epilepsy-related issues and AEDs (B=0.581; 95% CI: 0.400-0.762, p<0.001) had a strong influence on the knowledge scores; while no significant differences in epilepsy-related knowledge were shown on the basis of other demographic and professional characteristics of the participants (p>0.05).

Conclusions: The findings of our pilot study aid the triangulation of evidence in this field, indicating that community pharmacists in Peninsular Malaysia generally possess an adequate level of knowledge regarding women’s issues with epilepsy, although aware-ness on specific, practical aspects of pharmacotherapy and care remain limited. Our results highlight the importance of implementing tailored educational and hands-on training programs for community pharmacists.