Community pharmacy practice and challenges amid the coronavirus disease-19 pandemic: A survey in southwest Ethiopia

Behailu Terefe; Mengist Awoke; Dula Dessalegn; Girma Mamo; Bezie Kebede; Temesgen Mulugeta

Community pharmacy practice and challenges amid the coronavirus disease-19 pandemic: A survey in southwest Ethiopia

Abstract

The coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic has challenged and forced the community pharmacies across the world to take various measures to prevent its spread. This survey was conducted to assess the community pharmacy practice and challenges in Ethiopia amid the coronavirus disease-19 pandemic. The survey was conducted involving 67 community pharmacy professionals in Jimma and Mizan-Aman towns in the period from November 25 to December 10, 2020. A checklist was used for the data collection, and descriptive analysis was conducted using SPSS V.22. In this study, druggists were higher in proportion than pharmacists (64.2% vs. 35.8%). Of the stock of the COVID 19 infection protection supplies, facemask was well-stocked (73.1%), whereas most respondents (73.1%) reported no stock of face shields. Practicing a distance of >1 meter from the customers (85.1%) and keeping hand hygiene (83.6%) were among the measures reported to prevent cross-infection. Above two-third of the respondents reported an increase in verbal queries of the COVID-19 information (68.7%). Financial implication (89.6%) and staff cross-infection risk (89.6%) were the major worries reported by the respondents. In this study, some of the sociodemographic information were identified to affect the COVID-19 precautionary measures and challenges. In conclusion, the present study revealed problem with availability of some of the COVID-19 prevention supplies, like face shields (73.1%), requiring effort to avail. An increase in COVID-19 related queries from customers was also reported. The COVID-19 precautionary measures, such as practicing hand hygiene, physical distancing, and others were reported. The reported financial and other challenges of the COVID-19 needs mitigation measures.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Behailu Terefe ^* This is me
Ethiopia

Mengist Awoke This is me
Ethiopia

Dula Dessalegn This is me
Ethiopia

Girma Mamo This is me
Ethiopia

Bezie Kebede This is me
Ethiopia

Temesgen Mulugeta This is me
Ethiopia

Publication Date

June 28, 2025

Submission Date

April 28, 2021

Acceptance Date

November 2, 2021

Published in Issue

Year 2021 Volume: 25 Number: 6

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA33DH86JZ

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Terefe, B., Awoke, M., Dessalegn, D., Mamo, G., Kebede, B., & Mulugeta, T. (2025). Community pharmacy practice and challenges amid the coronavirus disease-19 pandemic: A survey in southwest Ethiopia. Journal of Research in Pharmacy, 25(6), 890-897. https://izlik.org/JA33DH86JZ

AMA

1.Terefe B, Awoke M, Dessalegn D, Mamo G, Kebede B, Mulugeta T. Community pharmacy practice and challenges amid the coronavirus disease-19 pandemic: A survey in southwest Ethiopia. J. Res. Pharm. 2025;25(6):890-897. https://izlik.org/JA33DH86JZ

Chicago

Terefe, Behailu, Mengist Awoke, Dula Dessalegn, Girma Mamo, Bezie Kebede, and Temesgen Mulugeta. 2025. “Community Pharmacy Practice and Challenges Amid the Coronavirus Disease-19 Pandemic: A Survey in Southwest Ethiopia”. Journal of Research in Pharmacy 25 (6): 890-97. https://izlik.org/JA33DH86JZ.

EndNote

Terefe B, Awoke M, Dessalegn D, Mamo G, Kebede B, Mulugeta T (July 1, 2025) Community pharmacy practice and challenges amid the coronavirus disease-19 pandemic: A survey in southwest Ethiopia. Journal of Research in Pharmacy 25 6 890–897.

IEEE

[1]B. Terefe, M. Awoke, D. Dessalegn, G. Mamo, B. Kebede, and T. Mulugeta, “Community pharmacy practice and challenges amid the coronavirus disease-19 pandemic: A survey in southwest Ethiopia”, J. Res. Pharm., vol. 25, no. 6, pp. 890–897, July 2025, [Online]. Available: https://izlik.org/JA33DH86JZ

ISNAD

Terefe, Behailu - Awoke, Mengist - Dessalegn, Dula - Mamo, Girma - Kebede, Bezie - Mulugeta, Temesgen. “Community Pharmacy Practice and Challenges Amid the Coronavirus Disease-19 Pandemic: A Survey in Southwest Ethiopia”. Journal of Research in Pharmacy 25/6 (July 1, 2025): 890-897. https://izlik.org/JA33DH86JZ.

JAMA

1.Terefe B, Awoke M, Dessalegn D, Mamo G, Kebede B, Mulugeta T. Community pharmacy practice and challenges amid the coronavirus disease-19 pandemic: A survey in southwest Ethiopia. J. Res. Pharm. 2025;25:890–897.

MLA

Terefe, Behailu, et al. “Community Pharmacy Practice and Challenges Amid the Coronavirus Disease-19 Pandemic: A Survey in Southwest Ethiopia”. Journal of Research in Pharmacy, vol. 25, no. 6, July 2025, pp. 890-7, https://izlik.org/JA33DH86JZ.

Vancouver

1.Behailu Terefe, Mengist Awoke, Dula Dessalegn, Girma Mamo, Bezie Kebede, Temesgen Mulugeta. Community pharmacy practice and challenges amid the coronavirus disease-19 pandemic: A survey in southwest Ethiopia. J. Res. Pharm. [Internet]. 2025 Jul. 1;25(6):890-7. Available from: https://izlik.org/JA33DH86JZ