A Cross-Sectional Questionnaire-Based Study to Find Out the Knowledge and Awareness of Community Pharmacist and Physician about Drug Information Center (DIC) and Its Services

Abstract

Background: Drug information centre (DIC) is a facility specially developed to provide relevant, accurate and unbiased drug information (DI) to consumer and health care professionals regarding the proper use of the drugs, drug safety and all the critical problems regarding the drug information of their usage and side effects. Objective: The present study was about to access the knowledge of the primary care physicians and community pharmacists about the DIC and its facilities and to spread awareness regarding the same. Methodology: A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted among the 88 participants of Vadodara city, Halol-Kalol town for 6 months of period. 68 pharmacist and 20 physicians took part in the study from these cities. The data was further Analysed by comparing the available data and resource to find out the awareness regarding the DIC. Result: During the study duration, a total of 88 participants took part in the study from various out of them 68 (77%) were community Pharmacist, and 20 (23%) were primary care physicians. In the end of the study, 48 (70.2%) pharmacist and 10 (50%) physicians know about the following data of DI, DIC, DIQ (Drug Information Query), resources and the role of pharmacist in DIC and it was clearly evaluated that the knowledge about the DIC, DI, DIQ was not thoroughly available for the pharmacist and physicians. Conclusion: The present study concludes that the awareness about Drug Information Centre (DIC), Drug Information, and its value and importance is not as much as it should be in Vadodara city, Halol-Kalol. Several awareness programme should be carried to bring the importance and value of DIC in limelight and to make it accessible easily for all to decrease several drug related problems.