Relationship between performance barriers and pharmacist competency towards the implementation of an expanded public health pharmacy role.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between performance barriers and competency, and implementation of an expanded public health role for community pharmacists. METHODS: A validated questionnaire was utilised for this study whereby three variables of the study (performance barriers, competency and public health role) were measured using a 5-point Likert scale. Three hundred questionnaires were distributed to target respondents of registered community pharmacies in five states (Johor, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Perak and Penang) in Malaysia. The data were analysed utilising the principles of structural equation modelling. KEY FINDINGS: There were 191 completed and usable responses received, which represented a 66.7% response rate. This study showed perceived competency had a direct relationship with delivering a general public health role. A perceived lack of competency was shown to be a barrier to fulfilling a public health role. However, other factors, such as design of premises, IT infrastructure and pay, were not viewed as barriers to carrying out a public health role. CONCLUSION: Perceived competency is an obstacle for community pharmacists to undertake a public health role in Malaysia. Adequate training programmes in pharmaceutical public health have to be put in place to address this concern and this should therefore be a priority

Synthesis and Characterization of GO-ZnO Nanocomposite Material Exhibiting Photo Catalytic Degradation of Dye Waste Water

44-49Graphene oxide (GO) nanoparticles were synthesized by improved hummer’s method and doped with ZnO as nano composite. The fabricated material surfaces of the chemically exfoliated GO sheets which are covered via a large number of hydroxyl, carboxyl and epoxy groups were introduced due to oxidation procedures. The functional groups are act as anchor sites for the insitu formation of ZnO nanoparticles. The obtained nano particles and doped nano composites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and applied for photocatalytic studies. XRD studies indicate that the GO nano sheet has the same crystal structure found in the hexagonal form of ZnO. SEM analysis provides the external morphology and crystalline structure. FTIR spectrum indicates the structural changes in GO and GO-ZnO composites. The photo catalytic performance of GO:ZnO nanocomposites was performed under UV irradiation. The present synthesized GO-ZnO photo catalyst showed an improved photo sensitized electron injection, collector and transporter by optimizing the initial crystal violet dye concentration as well as photocatalyst dosage. The dye degradation efficiency was found to be high as 93%