Kreshnik Hoti|Arianit Jakupi|Dardan Hetemi|Denis Raka|Jeffery Hughes|Shane P. Desselle
Provision of community pharmacy services during COVID-19 pandemic: a cross sectional study of community pharmacists’ experiences with preventative measures and sources of information
University of Prishtina|University of Prishtina|University of Prishtina|Curtin University|Touro University California
background infectious disease caused novel coronavirus later called covid19 reached pandemic levels 2020 community pharmacists involved responding pandemic also kosovo objectives explore experiences community pharmacists relation provision community pharmacy services covid19 pandemic setting community pharmacists kosovo methods crosssectional study data collected via selfadministered online questionnaire 264 pharmacists actively practicing kosovo pandemic questionnaire consisted combination closed openended questions optional statements statements fivepoint likert scale derived least part transtheoretical model oneway analysis variance used analyze differences responses likerttype items whereas categorical variables analyzed using chi square testing main outcome measures community pharmacists perceptions covid19 related preventative measures results response rate 406 achieved sufficient adequate covid19related preventative measures implemented majority pharmacies n 232 879 twothirds respondents agreedstrongly agreed pharmacies sufficiently prepared protective equipment personnel implementation preventative measures associated respondents perception pharmacists pharmacy profession valued patients pandemic lesser degree health professionals commonly stated pros dealt employee patient safety key cons dealt increased costs running necessary protective equipment key barriers pharmacy activities price increases wholesalers patients panic excessive buying whereas drivers dealt professional obligation assist opportunity prove inseparable health professionals popular means accessing covid19 related information pharmacists via mobile devices information professional organizations considered useful pharmacists conclusions community pharmacies actively implemented various measures precautions mitigate spread covid19 findings highlight value continuous provision information professional organizations use mobile devices key means access information pharmacists