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Mohammed Mohammed Battah,1,2 Hadzliana Zainal,1 Doa’a Anwar Ibrahim,2 Nur Hafzan Binti Md Hanafiah,1 Syed Azhar Syed Sulaiman,1 Abdulsalam Halboup1,2 1Discipline of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia; 2Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, University of Science and Technology, Sana’a, YemenCorrespondence: Mohammed Mohammed Battah, Departments of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, University of Science and Technology, Sana’a, Yemen, Tel +‏ 967777404880, Email mmalbattah@gmail.com Hadzliana Zainal, Discipline of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, 11800, Malaysia, Email hadz@usm.myBackground: Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) is a prevalent and distressing adverse effect that can negatively affect a patient’s quality of life and treatment adherence.Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the consistency of antiemetic use with standard guidelines and to examine the factors influencing it.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the National Oncology Center (NOC) of Al-Jomhouri Teaching Hospital, Sana’a, Yemen, from November 2022 to September 2023. Demographic data, chemotherapy and antiemetic regimens, dosages, and patient-related risk factors were collected via direct interviews, medical records, and treatment charts. This study evaluated the consistency of antiemetic practices among non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL) patients using the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines. The chi-squared test and regression were used to determine the factors associated with guideline consistency.Results: A total of 251 patients with NHL were recruited for the study; 57.4% were male and 60.6% were aged between 18– 49. Most of the patients received moderately emetogenic chemotherapy (81.3%). The overall consistency with the NCCN guidelines was only 23.9%, with antiemetic drug selection and dosage reported inconsistently in 62.9% and 16.7% of patients, respectively. Furthermore, 62.5% of the patients received an under-prescribed antiemetic prophylactic regimen. Treatment duration, number of chemotherapy cycles, emetogenic risk potential, and overall patient risk, as well as age, sex, and marital status, were significantly associated with guideline inconsistency (p < 0.05).Conclusion: This study revealed a notable gap in the consistency of antiemetic prescriptions among patients with NHL. Inappropriate drug selection, dosing, and under-prescription are common problems. Patient regimen risk factors significantly influenced the consistency of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines. Personalized approaches are essential to enhance adherence to guidelines and improve antiemetic strategies.Keywords: non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, chemotherapy, nausea, vomiting, antiemetics, Yemen

Fahmi Y Al-Ashwal,1– 3 Syed Azhar Syed Sulaiman,3 Siti Maisharah Sheikh Ghadzi,3 Sabariah Noor Harun,3 Abdulsalam Halboup,1,3 Mohammed Abdullah Kubas1,4 1Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Science and Technology, Sana’a, Yemen; 2Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Al-Ayen Iraqi University, Thi-Qar, Iraq; 3Discipline of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia; 4Clinical School of Pharmacy & Medical Sciences, Lebanese International University (LIU), Sana’a, YemenCorrespondence: Fahmi Y Al-Ashwal, Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Science and Technology, Sana’a, Yemen, Email fahmialashwal89@gmail.comIntroduction: Understanding the latest guideline recommendations is crucial for healthcare professionals to apply statin therapy effectively. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of an educational intervention in enhancing the awareness and understanding of physicians and pharmacists concerning risk assessment of Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and the role of statin therapy.Methods: This pre- and post-intervention study was conducted in Sana’a, Yemen’s capital city, at the University of Science and Technology Hospital. The study was done between 11/2021-12/2021, and two separate educational sessions were ‎held. The McNemar’s test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test were employed as necessary.Results: Participants’ awareness of the Framingham CVD risk calculator improved significantly from 40.4% pre-intervention to 78.7% post-intervention. Similarly, understanding of the parameters used in the 10-year ASCVD Risk calculator rose from 46.8% pre-intervention to 76.6% post-intervention. The ability to identify high, moderate, and low-intensity statin therapy, for instance, increased from 34% to 63.8% post-intervention. Regarding statins’ contraindications, safety, and efficacy monitoring parameters, pre-intervention knowledge was unsatisfactory, and the educational intervention improved it significantly (p < 0.05). For physicians, the median ASCVD risk assessment knowledge score was significantly improved from ‎‎ 4 (IQR = 3– 5) pre-intervention to 7 (6.25– 8) immediately post-intervention, while the statin therapy clinical knowledge median score ‎significantly improved from 3 (1.25– 6.5) to 9 (7.25– 14.75) post-education intervention, p-values were 0.002 and 0.003; respectively. For pharmacists, a similar significant improvement (p < 0.05) in the overall knowledge scores for both ASCVD risk ‎assessment and statin therapy was noted.Conclusion: The educational intervention improved participants’ knowledge of statin therapy and ASCVD risk assessment. Therefore, further education lectures and training programs through continuing ‎medical ‎education on the up-to-date guidelines’ recommendations should be regularly implemented to raise ‎awareness and improve ‎the clinical knowledge and appropriateness of statins use in clinical settings.&#x200EKeywords: educational intervention, statins, monitoring parameters, ASCVD risk ‎assessment, physicians, pharmacists, risk assessment, Yemen

Sameer A Alkubati,1,2 Khaled M Al-Sayaghi,3,4 Basma Salameh,5 Abdulsalam M Halboup,6,7 Waled AM Ahmed,8 Mohannad J. Alkuwaisi,1 Mohamed A Zoromba9,10 1Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, University of Hail, Hail, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Nursing, Hodeida University, Hodeida, Yemen; 3Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, Taibah University, Al‐Madinah Al‐Munawarah, Saudi Arabia; 4Nursing Division, Sana’a University, Sana’a, Yemen; 5Department of Nursing, Arab American University, Jenin, Palestine; 6Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, University of Science and Technology, Sana’a, Yemen; 7Discipline of Clinical Pharmacy, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia; 8Community Health Nursing Department, Al-Baha, Saudi Arabia; 9Department of Nursing, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia; 10Department of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, Mansoura University, Mansoura, EgyptCorrespondence: Abdulsalam M Halboup, Departments of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, University of Science and Technology, Sana’a, Yemen, Tel +967774960247, Email a.halboup@ust.edu.yeBackground: Depression has a negative impact on the health outcomes of hemodialysis (HD) patients, including decreased quality of life and increased morbidity and mortality rates. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of depression and its associated factors among HD patients in Hodeida city, Yemen.Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 200 HD patients at the Dialysis Center in Hodeida was conducted from February to May 2022. Data on depression were collected using the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Association of sociodemographic characteristics of patients with depression were assessed using chi-square, subsequently by multivariable logistic regression. Statistical significance was set at P-values < 0.05.Results: The response rate was 98% (200/204). Depression was prevalent among 63% of HD patients at the Dialysis Center in Hodeida city. Sex was significantly associated with depression, where female patients were more frequently depressed than males (82.4% vs 56.4%, P < 0.001). In addition, employment status and medical insurance were significantly associated with depression, where unemployed patients were more frequently depressed than employed patients (67.6% vs 52.5%, P = 0.041) and patients with medical insurance were less frequently depressed than their counterparts (47.1% vs 66.3%, P = 0.035).Conclusion: Depression is highly prevalent among HD patients in Hodeida city. Female sex, unemployment and lack of medical insurance are predictors of depression among HD patients. These findings emphasize the urgent need for targeted interventions.Implications for practice: Depression is common among HD patients, so that, psychiatric physicians and nurses are increasingly needed in HD centers to implement mental health assessment of patients for depression signs and symptoms to help in early diagnosis and management of depression in order to improve patients’ quality of life and preventing negative outcomes.Keywords: depression, end-stage renal disease, hemodialysis, patient health questionnaire, PHQ-9, Yemen

Abdulsalam M Halboup,1,2 Karem H Alzoubi,3,4 Rana K Abu-Farha,5 Sabariah Noor Harun,2 Ahmed Al-Mohamadi,1 Mohammed M Battah,1,2 Ammar Ali Saleh Jaber,6 Sameer Alkubati,7,8 Fahmi Y Al-Ashwal1,9 1Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, University of Science and Technology, Sana’a, Yemen; 2Discipline of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia; 3Department of Pharmacy Practice and Pharmacotherapeutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates; 4Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan; 5Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Applied Science Private University, Amman, 11931, Jordan; 6Department of Clinical Pharmacy & Pharmacotherapeutics, Dubai Pharmacy College for Girls, Dubai, United Arab Emirates; 7Department of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Hodeidah University, Hodeidah, Yemen; 8Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, College of Nursing, University of Hail, Hail, Saudi Arabia; 9Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Al-Ayen University, Thi-Qar, IraqCorrespondence: Abdulsalam M Halboup, Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, University of Science and Technology, Sana’a, Yemen, Tel +967774960247, Email a.halboup@ust.edu.yeBackground: The spread of monkeypox (mpox) worldwide poses a severe threat to human life. This virus leads to a disease with symptoms similar to smallpox in humans. To combat this threat, improving public knowledge and perception toward mpox is vital for public health preventive measures.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out in Yemen from December 2022 to March 2023 to investigate public perception and knowledge of mpox. Individuals were approached through social media platforms using a convenient sampling approach. Linear regression was used to determine the association between participants’ knowledge (dependent variable) and explanatory variables.Results: A total of 853 individuals consented to take part in the study. A significant proportion of respondents had a low knowledge level (N=572, 67.06%). Most participants knew about the nature of the diseases (75%, n=641), transmission mode (78.1%, n=668), hand sanitizer preventive measures, and skin- related symptoms. However, only 20.8% (n= 178) knew that diarrhea is not a symptom, and 25.4% (n= 217) knew antibiotics are unnecessary for mpox management. A proportion of 57.7% (n=492) of the participants feared human mpox, and 47.7% (n= 407) thought it was a conspiracy. Most participants had a good perception of local and international health authorities controlling the disease. Age, education level, having a health-related certificate, and receiving a 2-dose vaccination for COVID-19 had statistically significant associations with mpox knowledge level (P < 0.05). Social media platforms were the most often used information source about mpox (78.3%, n= 668), followed by articles (41.1%, n=351).Conclusion: The study reveals a low public knowledge about mpox in Yemen, emphasizing the need for targeted educational campaigns, especially via social media, to strengthen public health measures and disease control. Addressing Knowledge gaps and correcting misconceptions is crucial for improving preparedness and response to the disease.Keywords: monkeypox virus, public knowledge, public perception, outbreak, Yemen

Rana Abu-Farha,1 Karem H Alzoubi,2,3 Mohammad Abu Assab,4 Oriana Awwad,5 Lobna Gharaibeh,6 Tareq L Mukattash,3 Abdulsalam M Halboup7,8 1Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Applied Science Private University, Amman, Jordan; 2Department of Pharmacy Practice and Pharmacotherapeutics, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates; 3Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan; 4Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zarqa University, Zarqa, Jordan; 5Department Biopharmaceutics and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan; 6Pharmacological and Diagnostic Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Ahliyya Amman University, Amman, Jordan; 7Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, University of Science and Technology, Sana’a, Yemen; 8Discipline of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, MalaysiaCorrespondence: Abdulsalam M Halboup, Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, University of Science and Technology, P.O.Box 13064, Sana’a, Yemen, Tel +967774960247, Email a.halboup@ust.edu.yeObjective: This research aimed to explore how telepharmacy is perceived, whether it would be willingly used by the overall population in Jordan, and the associated socioeconomic disparities that might affect its acceptance.Methods: This is a survey-based cross-sectional study involving the general public of Jordan. The study took place in various Jordanian cities from May 2nd to June 1st, 2023. Using Google forms, the questionnaire was shared through various social media channels (such as Facebook and WhatsApp).Results: The questionnaire received responses from 800 participants. The data showed that a sizable portion of the Jordanian population were unaware of telepharmacy (n= 343, 42.9%), and a majority had never utilized it (n= 131, 16.4%). The participants viewed the main advantage of telepharmacy as minimizing unnecessary trips to pharmacies (n= 668, 83.5%) and reducing travel time and expenses (n= 632, 79.0%). However, the primary concern was the mental effort required to use this service (n= 465, 58.1%). Of the respondents, 61.3% (n= 490) indicated a willingness to adopt telepharmacy services in the future. Regression analysis indicated that men were more likely to use this service compared to women (OR= 1.947, p< 0.001), and people living in northern and southern Jordan exhibited a greater willingness compared to those inhabiting the central region (OR= 2.168, p< 0.001).Conclusion: The results reveal a positive attitude towards and a significant readiness to embrace telepharmacy among the Jordanian population. However, for broader acceptance and utilization, apprehensions regarding the service need to be addressed. Doing so could improve access to pharmaceutical care, particularly for patients living in far-flung areas of Jordan.Keywords: telepharmacy, public, perception, willingness, Jordan

Abdulsalam M Halboup,1,2 Karem H Alzoubi,3,4 Omar F Khabour,5 Mahmoud A Alomari,6 Moath Refat,7 Abdulrazzaq Y Al-Khazzan,1 Ammar Ali Saleh Jaber,8 Usman Abubakar9 1Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, University of Science and Technology, Sana’a, Yemen; 2Discipline of Clinical Pharmacy, University Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia; 3Department of Pharmacy Practice and Pharmacotherapeutics, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates; 4Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan; 5Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan; 6Department of Rehabilitation, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan; 7Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Xi’an Jiaotong, University, Xi’an, China; 8Department of Clinical Pharmacy & Pharmacotherapeutics, Dubai Pharmacy College for Girls, Dubai, United Arab Emirates; 9Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Practice, Qatar University, Doha, QatarCorrespondence: Abdulsalam M Halboup, Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, University of Science and Technology, Sana’a, Yemen, Tel +967774960247, Email a_halboob@yahoo.com; a.halboup@student.usm.myBackground: Following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) declaration as a pandemic, Yemen has started applying preventive measures to prevent its spread. This study aims to identify the perception regarding the nature of the COVID-19 disease, susceptibility to severe forms of the disease, and its relationship to seasonal influenza among the population of Yemen.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of the public in Yemen. The relationship between participants’ sociodemographic factors and their responses was assessed by the chi-square test.Results: A total of 748 participants agreed to participate in the study. Regarding the nature of the diseases, nearly half of the participants (48.8%, n=352) believed that COVID-19 is a naturally occurring human virus that is a serious and fatal disease (61.2%, n=448). The majority (74.9%; n=518) did not agree that bacteria cause COVID-19. More than half of the participants (57.5%, n=423) believed this disease is transmitted to humans through a host animal. Regarding the vulnerable groups to develop severe COVID-19 infection, most of the participants pointed out that the elderly (94.3%, n=705), people with chronic diseases (89.9%, n=669), and pregnant women (53%, n=365) were more susceptible to severe diseases. Regarding symptoms, the majority (61.9%, n=458) of the participants agreed that the symptoms of COVID-19 are similar to those of seasonal influenza. Additionally, the majority (81.9%, n=579) agreed that some individuals develop more severe symptoms than seasonal influenza, particularly those with chronic illness. Gender, age, and education were found to be associated with participants’ perceptions regarding the nature of the virus and susceptibility to severe disease.Conclusion: Participants demonstrate a good understanding of the nature and susceptibility to complications associated with COVID-19 disease and its relationship to influenza. However, the respondents with a lower level of education might require additional educational campaigns to improve their awareness of the disease.Keywords: public perception, COVID-19, susceptibility, complications, Yemen

Abdulsalam M Halboup,1,2 Karem H Alzoubi,3,4 Rana K Abu-Farha,5 Sabariah Noor Harun,2 Ahmed Al-Mohamadi,1 Mohammed Battah,1,2 Ammar Ali Saleh Jaber,6 Sameer Alkubati,7,8 Fahmi Y Al-Ashwal1,9 1Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, University of Science and Technology, Sana’a, Yemen; 2Discipline of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia; 3Department of Pharmacy Practice and Pharmacotherapeutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates; 4Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan; 5Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Applied Science Private University, Amman, 11931, Jordan; 6Department of Clinical Pharmacy& Pharmacotherapeutics, Dubai Pharmacy College for Girls, Dubai, United Arab Emirates; 7Department of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Hodeidah University, Hodeidah, Yemen; 8Faculty of Nursing, University of Ha’il, Hail, Saudi Arabia; 9Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Al-Ayen University, Thi-Qar, IraqCorrespondence: Abdulsalam M Halboup, Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, University of Science and Technology, Sana’a, Yemen, Tel +967774960247, Email a.halboup@ust.edu.ye

Najmaddin AH Hatem,1 Mohamed Izham Mohamed Ibrahim,2 Abdulsalam Halboup,3,4 Mohammed Kubas5,6 1Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Clinical Pharmacy, Hodeidah University, Alhodeidah, Yemen; 2Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Practice, College of Pharmacy, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar; 3Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Science and Technology, Sana’a, Yemen; 4Discipline of Clinical Pharmacy, University Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia; 5Clinical Pharmacy Department, University of Science and Technology Hospital, Sana’a, Yemen; 6Clinical Pharmacy Department, School of Pharmacy, Lebanese International University, Sana’a, YemenCorrespondence: Najmaddin AH Hatem, Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Clinical Pharmacy, Hodeidah University, P.O. 3114, Alhodeidah, Yemen, Tel +967 775040472, Email clin.pharm.najmaddin@gmail.comIntroduction: Pharmaceutical care (PC) is the philosophy of the pharmacist’s practice to achieve a better health-related outcome by designing, implementing and monitoring the therapeutic plans. It is in its infancy in Yemen. Hence, the study objectives were to examine the barriers to PC provision as perceived by Yemen pharmacy students and to assess their level of understanding of PC and their attitudes toward PC.Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among ten pharmacy colleges in Yemen, offering undergraduate pharmacy programs. A stratified sample of 518 students from the included universities were surveyed using a well-structured, validated and self-administered questionnaire. Chi-square, Mann–Whitney U, and Kruskal–Wallis tests were conducted at an alpha level of 0.05.Results: Four hundred and seventy-five (475) participants were included (92.9% response rate). More than 17% (n=84) of participants were involved in Pharm.D program, and nearly 29.9% (n=142) preferred pharmaceutical marketing as a career after graduation. About 65% of participants recognized the purpose of PC, and pharmacists’ role within PC. However, only 43.8% (n=208) knew the difference between clinical pharmacy and PC. About 82% of respondents showed very good attitudes toward PC. Pharm.D students showed higher attitudes’ total scores, median (IQR): 4.3 (4.1– 4.4), 4.2 (4– 4.2) and 4 (3.9– 4.2) for Pharm.D, bachelor of pharmacy and bachelor of clinical pharmacy respectively, (p-value = 0.032). Moreover, students who currently employed in pharmacy-related job during their study were also associated with high attitudes scores compared to unemployed students, median (IQR): 4.2 (4– 4.4) and 4(3.9– 4.1) respectively (p-value = 0.023). “Lack of access to the patient medical record in the pharmacy” and “inadequate (hospital and community pharmacy) internship period” were the top reported barriers with 81.5% (n=387) agreement.Conclusion: Although PC is in its infancy in Yemen, pharmacy students showed positive attitudes toward practicing PC. Educational institutions should exert efforts for curricular revision to improve understanding, and overcome the reported barriers in the future.Keywords: clinical pharmacy, evaluation research, pharmaceutical care, pharmacy curriculum, Yemeni pharmacy education

Abdulsalam M Halboup,1 Karem H Alzoubi,2,3 Mohamed Izham Mohamed Ibrahim,4 Syed Azhar Syed Sulaiman,5 Yasmin Almahbashi,1 Shaima Al-Arifi,1 Sarah Mohammed,1 Gamil Othman1 1Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice University of Science and Technology, Sana’a, Yemen; 2Department of Pharmacy Practice and Pharmacotherapeutics, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates; 3Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan; 4Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Practice, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar; 5Discipline of Clinical Pharmacy, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, MalaysiaCorrespondence: Gamil Othman, Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy practice, University of Science and Technology, Sana’a, Yemen, Tel +‏ 967774960247, Email gamilqasem@yahoo.comPurpose: Patients’ awareness toward VTE and thromboprophylaxis is critical for medication adherence. This study aimed to evaluate the patient’s awareness and perception towards VTE and its prophylaxis and to assess patient’s satisfaction towards the information given by the medical staff.Participants and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among hospitalized patients who received VTE prophylaxis in public and private hospitals in Sana’a, Yemen. Besides sociodemographic variables, participants’ awareness and perception of VTE and its prophylaxis were evaluated. Variables’ association with VTE awareness were analyzed using univariable and multivariable logistic regression using SPSS.Results: A total of 396 of the hospitalized patients agreed to participate in the study, with 31% (n = 121) have ever heard about VTE. The multivariable logistic regression findings revealed that the participants who did not have a profession had OR = 17.182 (P < 0.001) of being unaware of VTE compared with those who had one. Participants who did not have a personal history of VTE had OR = 7.580 (P < 0.001) of being unaware of DVT/PE compared with the participants who had a personal history of VTE. Male participants had OR = 2.839 (P < 0.005) of being unaware of DVT/PE compared with female participants. Participants who were illiterate had OR = 2.832 (P < 0.022) of being unaware of DVT/PE compared with participants with a higher level of education.Conclusion: The study revealed lack of awareness and perception of VTE and its prophylaxis among hospitalized patients in Yemen. The patients who are unaware of the disease have wrong perception about their role in DVT prophylaxis. Patient’s education must be considered in healthcare setting to improve patient’s health outcomes.Keywords: anticoagulation, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, patient’s knowledge, patient’s perception

Abdulsalam M Halboup,1 Gamil Q Othman,1 Mohammed M Battah,1 Karem H Alzoubi,2 Hebah Sallom3 1Departments of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Science and Technology, Sana’a, Yemen; 2Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan; 3Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Near East University, Nicosia, Cyprus, TurkeyCorrespondence: Mohammed M Battah Tel +967-777404880Email mmalbattah@gmail.comBackground: Hypertension is a common public health problem that impacts more than one-third of the world population. Awareness of physicians towards the guidelines of high blood pressure management is an essential step to reduce the consequences of high blood pressure.Objective: This study was aimed to assess the awareness of physicians towards high blood pressure treatment according to the recent report of the Joint National Committee (JNC8) guideline.Methods: A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 400 physicians during the period from February to April 2017. Physicians were recruited from public and private hospitals as well as clinics. A validated questionnaire that incorporated the changes seen in JNC 8, as well as the specific modality of hypertension management based on other guidelines, was administered to the participating physicians.Results: Three hundred and eighty-nine physicians completed the questionnaire; with all the interviewed physicians have ever heard about JNC 8. The practice of general practitioners (GPs) was significantly deviated from the recommended guideline of blood pressure management as compared to consultants, specialists, and residents. Additionally, certain variations were found among consultants, specialists, and residents with slight superiority of consultants towards most aspects.Conclusion: The finding of this study highlights an inadequate knowledge of GPs in Yemen towards high blood pressure management guidelines. The findings of this study emphasize the necessity for continuous medical education programs that are specially designed to target GPs. Continued update of medical curricula in Yemeni universities is also needed.Keywords: hypertension, practitioners, physicians, guidelines, Yemen

Background: Medication use during pregnancy is a critical concern due to potential risks to both the mother and fetus. To the extent of our knowledge, there has been no prior research to assess medication use and identify the specific factors of pregnant women within the Yemeni community. This study aimed to investigate the knowledge, beliefs, and practices of Yemeni pregnant women regarding medication use and assess the factors associated with the knowledge during pregnancy. Methods: A cross-sectional multi-center study was conducted through face-to-face interviews using a validated structured questionnaire. The study was conducted on pregnant women receiving antenatal care at tertiary care hospitals in four governorates in Yemen. Univariable and multivariate logistic regressions were employed to examine the relationship between participant variables and their knowledge. A P-value of less than.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Out of the 1003 pregnant women, 35.4% (n = 355) were aged 21–25 years, 33.9% (n = 340) had primary education, 73.6% (n = 738) lived in urban areas, 12.2% (n = 122) were smokers, 38.3% (n = 384) reported chewing khat, and the majority (90.2%, n = 905) were unemployed. Also, 65.5% (n = 657) of the participants reported taking folic acid in their current pregnancy. A total of 2,623 medications were utilized during pregnancy, with 17.8% during the first trimester (n = 468). Around 39.3% (n = 1,037) of medications used fell under the blood and blood-forming organs category. Education level (AOR: 4.00, P <.001), insurance status (AOR: 1.71, P =.026), information about medication risks to the fetus (AOR: 1.96, P =.023), the use of folic acid either in a previous pregnancy (AOR: 1.65, P <.008) or in the current pregnancy (AOR: 4.26, P <.001), and checking the medication leaflet (AOR: 5.67, P <.001) were predictors of higher knowledge. Conclusion: The findings underscore the pressing need for educational interventions aimed at pregnant women. By bridging knowledge gaps and promoting informed decision-making, such initiatives can contribute to a safer and healthier pregnancy journey, reducing the inclination towards self-medication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundRisk evaluation of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) remains the cornerstone of primary prevention. The cardiovascular risk assessment can guide the decision-making on various preventive measures such as initiating or deferring statin therapy. Thus, our study aimed to assess the physicians' knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases risk assessment. Also, we evaluated the physician-patient discussion and counseling practices before statin therapy initiation in concordance with recommendations from the latest clinical practice guideline.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2020 and January 2021. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 350 physicians (GPs, residents, specialists, and consultants). Two trained pharmacists distributed the questionnaires in 5 major tertiary governmental hospitals and more than ten private hospitals. Also, private clinics were targeted so that we get a representative sample of physicians at different workplaces.ResultsA total of 270 physicians filled the questionnaire out of 350 physicians approached, with 14 being excluded due to high missing data, giving a final response rate of 73%. Participants had suboptimal knowledge and practices with a high positive attitude toward atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases risk assessment. The knowledge and practices were higher among consultants, participants from the cardiology department, those with experience years of more than nine years, and those who reported following a specific guideline for cholesterol management or using a risk calculator in their practice. Notably, the risk assessment and counseling practices were lower among physicians who reported seeing more patients per day.ConclusionPhysicians had overall low knowledge, suboptimal practices, and a high positive attitude toward cardiovascular risk assessment. Therefore, physicians' training and continuing medical education regarding cholesterol management and primary prevention clinical practice guidelines are recommended. Also, the importance of adherence to clinical practice guidelines and their impact on clinical outcomes should be emphasized.