Pharmacists attitudes and awareness towards the use and safety of herbs in Kuwait

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the knowledge and attitudes among pharmacists in Kuwait towards the use of herbs. Methods: Self-administered questionnaire was designed as the study instrument and distributed among 100 qualified pharmacists working in government and private pharmacies in Kuwait. Results: The mean age was 34.2 (SD=7.5) years. About 51% of pharmacists reported they had used herbal therapy in their lifetime. The majority were interested in herbal information, and their herbal information came mainly from their previous classes during college. Although the pharmacists¿ knowledge about uses of selected herbs was good, their awareness about side effects of those herbs was modest. About 31% of the pharmacists did not have enough information about potential interactions between herbs and conventional medicines. Conclusion: Herbal information is needed for pharmacy students as part of the Pharmacy College curriculum. Continuing education programs for practising pharmacists about the safety of different herbal products should be established in Kuwait

Pharmacists attitudes and awareness towards the use and safety of herbs in Kuwait

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the knowledge and attitudes among pharmacists in Kuwait towards the use of herbs. Methods: Self-administered questionnaire was designed as the study instrument and distributed among 100 qualified pharmacists working in government and private pharmacies in Kuwait. Results: The mean age was 34.2 (SD=7.5) years. About 51% of pharmacists reported they had used herbal therapy in their lifetime. The majority were interested in herbal information, and their herbal information came mainly from their previous classes during college. Although the pharmacists¿ knowledge about uses of selected herbs was good, their awareness about side effects of those herbs was modest. About 31% of the pharmacists did not have enough information about potential interactions between herbs and conventional medicines. Conclusion: Herbal information is needed for pharmacy students as part of the Pharmacy College curriculum. Continuing education programs for practising pharmacists about the safety of different herbal products should be established in Kuwait

Pharmaceutical and chemical pediatric poisoning in Kuwait: a retrospective survey

Past studies of pediatric poisoning in Kuwait have suggested differences at hospital level which could impact on the implementation of public health interventions. The objective was to compare pediatric poisoning admissions at general hospitals in Kuwait. Methods: Retrospective survey of all pediatric poisoning cases at the six general hospitals from January 2004 to December 2005. Case data were documented using ICD-10 criteria and the poisoning severity score. Aggregated data was also obtained from five private hospitals. Results: 978 children were admitted in public hospitals over 2004 and 2005 (no fatalities) being 1.8% and 1.6% of all pediatric admissions (private hospitals admitted 293 cases). The majority of the poisoning cases came from Jahra hospital (>35%), the median age was 2.3 yrs, 93% of cases were under 6 yrs old and 71% were Kuwaiti. Two thirds of cases involved pharmaceuticals although this varied between hospitals with a tendency for more severe cases with chemical poisoning (p=0.011). Kerosene was an important problem at Jahra hospital (34.7% of chemical exposures). Non-opioid analgesics constituted 22.3% of medication exposures with hormones and drugs affecting the autonomic nervous system also common with some difference in pattern between institutions. Conclusion: Case demographics do not vary significantly between the hospitals but there are differences in the nature of toxic agents to which children are exposed suggesting that preventive and educational programs could be targeted to specific areas for maximal effect particularly with regard to household chemical and kerosene exposures.Anteriores estudios de envenenamiento pediátrico han sugerido diferencias a nivel hospitalario que podrían tener impacto en la implantación de intervenciones de salud pública. El objetico fue comparar los ingresos de envenenamientos pediátricos en hospitales generales de Kuwait. Métodos: Estudio retrospectivo de todos los casos de envenenamiento pediátrico en seis hospitales de enero 2004 a diciembre 2005. Los datos de los casos se documentaron utilizando los criterios CIE- 10 y las puntuaciones de gravedad. Se obtuvieron también datos agregados de cinco hospitales privados. Resultados: 978 niños ingresaron en hospitales públicos durante 2004 y 2005 (sin muertes) siendo el 1,8% y el 1,6% de todas lis ingresos pediátricos (los hospitales privados ingresaron 293 casos). Ña mayoría de los casos de envenenamiento vinieron del hospital de Jahra (>35%), la mediana de edad fue de 2,3 años, el 93% de los casos fueron d niños de menos e 6 años y el 71% eran kuwaitíes. Dos tercios de los casos involucraron medicamentos, aunque esto varió entre hospitales con una tendencia hacia casos más graves con los envenenamientos por químicos (p=0,011). El keroseno fue un problema importante en el hospital de Jahra (34,7% de las exposiciones a químicos). Los analgésicos no opioides constituyeron el 22,3% de las exposiciones a medicamentos con las hormonas y los medicamentos que afectan al sistema nervioso autónomo también frecuentes con algunas diferencias en el patrón entre instituciones. Conclusión: La demografía de los casos no varía significativamente entre los hospitales pero hay diferencias en la naturaleza de los agentes tóxicos a los que se exponen los niños sugiriendo que los programas preventivos y educativos podrían dirigirse a áreas especificas para maximizar los efectos, particularmente con respecto a las exposiciones a productos químicos almacenados en casa y a keroseno