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Assessment of pharmacists’ knowledge, attitude, and practice toward over-the-counter medications in Erbil city: A cross-sectional study

Iman Ahmed Abdulrahman
Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Hawler Medical University, Erbil, Kurdistan region, Iraq.
Abubakir Majeed Saleh
Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tishk International University, Erbil, Iraq.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Iman Ahmed Abdulrahman, Abubakir Majeed Saleh (Author)

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Abstract

Background and objective: Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are those that are available to the general population without a prescription from a physician. Analyzing pharmacists' knowledge, attitudes, and practices about over-the-counter (OTC) medications in Erbil was one of the study’s objectives, in addition to establishing a connection between the knowledge, attitude, and practice of pharmacists and their sociodemographic characteristics.

Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 350 pharmacists. The convenience sampling method was used for sampling and data were collected to assess pharmacists' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding OTC medications in Erbil city through using a standardized, self-administered questionnaire.

Results: Pharmacists' positive attitude and practice level were 46.3% and 49.1%, respectively, also about two thirds (66%), lacked sufficient knowledge. Training participation was low, only 28% of pharmacists received OTC medication-specific training in the previous year. Age and attitude were significantly associated (P = 0.05). There were statistically significant correlations between knowledge and practice (P = 0.014), knowledge and attitude (P = 0.038), and attitude and practice (P = 0.001).

Conclusion: The findings underscore a critical need for targeted continuing education programs to improve pharmacists’ competencies in OTC medication counseling and ensure patient safety.

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How to Cite
Ahmed Abdulrahman, I. ., & Majeed Saleh, A. . (2026). Assessment of pharmacists’ knowledge, attitude, and practice toward over-the-counter medications in Erbil city: A cross-sectional study. Zanco Journal of Medical Sciences (ZJMS), 30(1), 121–134. https://doi.org/10.15218/zjms.2026.009

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