Recent evidence has shown that the incidence of long-term illnesses in young people aged 10–24 years is increasing. It is essential to highlight the importance of long-term health conditions in this age group and understand young people’s health needs to be able to improve current support for young people. Pharmacists, as medicine experts, are in a unique position to promote young people’s health. The role of primary care pharmacists in the management of chronic illnesses in young people has not been widely researched. The aim of this review was to explore the current role of primary care pharmacists in the management of chronic illnesses in young people aged 10–24 years. A systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement using Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and Embase subject headings (Emtree) terms, covering three main themes: Pharmacists, young people and chronic illnesses. Articles were critically appraised using Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) tools. Eight articles were included in this review. Seven articles included original research studies (one observational study, two surveys, two qualitative interview studies and two interventions). The remaining article was a literature review. All of the articles made reference to community pharmacists, while there was no information about GP pharmacists. Roles that community pharmacists identified as high-priority in their practice when dealing with young people included supporting young people to develop generic healthcare skills, counselling and building trusted relationships directly with young people, helping young people to find credible health information and the provision of specialist services. Community pharmacists feel that they have a role to play in supporting young people with chronic illness and have identified many areas where they can provide services and support.

Background: Remdesivir is associated with hepatotoxicity and acute kidney injury (AKI). The objective of this study was to assess the hepatotoxicity and AKI with remdesivir. Method: This is a multicenter, retrospective cohort study for adult patients who used remdesivir for COVID-19 from 3/2020 to 10/2021. The study was conducted at Rhode Island Hospital, Rhode Island, United States. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics as well as logistic regression analysis using STATA 18. Results: A total of 1635 patients were evaluated for hepatotoxicity: 337 developed hepatotoxicity, and 1298 had normal hepatic function. The overall median frequency of hepatotoxicity occurred in 319 patients (19.5%). Patient age (OR 1.02, 95% CI: 1–1.04, p = 0.02) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) use (OR 1.7, 95% CI: 1.1–2.6, p = 0.01) were potential risk factors for remdesivir-associated hepatotoxicity. In contrast, being male gender was protective against remdesivir-associated hepatotoxicity (OR 0.63, 95% CI: 0.47–0.87, p = 0.02). The frequency of AKI with remdesivir occurred in 280 patients (17.3%). Conclusions: The frequency of hepatotoxicity was 19.5%, and the frequency of AKI was 17.3%. Increasing age and using SSRIs were risk factors for remdesivir-associated hepatotoxicity, while male gender was a protective factor. Clinicians should vigilantly monitor hepatic and renal functions for patients using remdesivir, especially in elderly patients.

Objective: The study aimed to evaluate the knowledge and counseling skills of community pharmacy professionals regarding managing acute diarrhea in children in the Qassim region of Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study consisting of a questionnaire and simulated client scenario was conducted to collect data from pharmacy professionals working in community pharmacies over a period of 3 months in the Qassim region of Saudi Arabia. Pharmacy professionals were assessed for evaluating cases using 5 indicators (the age of the child, the frequency of diarrhea, fever and the presence of mucus or blood) and also for their recommendations and counseling. Results: The data were collected from 60 pharmacy professionals after site visits. In the questionnaire, 60% of the pharmacy professionals used all 5 indicators, while in the simulation, 13.3% used at least 3 indicators and 80% used 2 or fewer indicators (p = 0.35). An oral rehydration solution was recommended alone by 35% of the pharmacy professionals and with other drugs by 13.3% in the questionnaire, while in the simulation, an oral rehydration solution alone was recommended by 15% and other drugs by 48.3%. Approximately 86.7% of the pharmacy professionals did not give any dietary advice, and 50% did not counsel the simulated client on the recommended drug. Conclusion: The community pharmacy professionals in the study did not ask enough questions to evaluate a child suffering from acute diarrhea appropriately in the simulation. More questions were asked in the questionnaire; however, the difference is not significant. Additionally, they did not provide proper dietary advice, and their recommendation of an oral rehydration solution was insufficient.

Background/Objectives: According to recent literature, the prevalence and incidence of long-term illnesses such as asthma and diabetes in young people have substantially risen over the past 13 years. Recent figures indicate that, in England, 4.10% of all prescriptions were prescribed for young people. The aim of this study was to investigate young people’s perspectives of pharmaceutical services provided by primary care pharmacists relating to medication. Methods: A cross-sectional survey using both online and paper-based tools was conducted from March to November 2019. The population for this survey was young people from 18 to 24 years old registered as students at one of the universities in England. The survey consisted of twenty-four questions, and they were a mix of closed-ended questions, such as multiple-choice and Likert scales, and open-ended questions. Results: A total of 210 out of 800 survey responses were completed from different recruitment sources, achieving a response rate of 26.25%. Most participants were female (62.38%), and the most frequent age was 18 years (35.24%). Among participants, 15.70% were diagnosed with long-term illnesses, of which 33.33% were reported as the respiratory disease, asthma. Pharmacists were not utilised as a source of information for young people, with the majority (60.60%) obtaining information from their doctors. Most of the participants (96.97%) had not taken part in a Medicines Use Review (MUR) or New Medicine Service (NMS), and 78.79% were not aware of any services or support groups by their pharmacist. Among different healthcare professionals, GPs and hospital doctors were the most frequently reported to discuss with young people about their illnesses. Conclusions: There is an opportunity to further develop pharmaceutical services and support by primary care pharmacists for young people with long-term illnesses. Policymakers and primary care pharmacists in the future could utilise the perceptions and opinions of young people found in the current study to inform the development of primary care pharmacy services to meet young people’s needs and perceptions. These results are of benefit to policymakers in assisting in the development of pharmacy services. Further research will enhance understanding of the perceptions of young people about the pharmaceutical services offered by primary care pharmacists with respect to medications.

Background: Nosocomial infections, or healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), represent a significant global health challenge frequently associated with invasive medical procedures and extended hospitalizations. This study was designed to evaluate the current level of knowledge and the perceptions of inpatients regarding HAIs within a high-risk tertiary hospital in the Qassim region of Saudi Arabia. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from August 2024 to February 2025 at a tertiary facility in the Qassim region. The study population included 500 inpatients aged 18 years and older who consented to participate. Data were collected via individual interviews using a closed-ended questionnaire, which assessed demographics, knowledge and perceptions of HAIs on a 4-point Likert scale. Results: Among 500 study participants, good knowledge, fair knowledge and poor knowledge regarding HAIs were demonstrated by 57%, 38.4% and 4.6%, respectively. More than 98% of participants achieved a perception score of above 70%, indicating a profoundly positive perception level. Knowledge was significantly associated with age (p = 0.018), educational status (p < 0.01), and nationality (p < 0.01). Participants most commonly recognized contaminated hospital beds (95.6%), airborne transmission (91.2%), and unsterilized equipment (90%) as the potential modes of infection transmission. Conclusions: Sustaining ongoing infection prevention efforts and fostering improved awareness among inpatients regarding HAIs are of paramount importance in implementing effective public health prevention measures.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a prevalent chronic gastrointestinal disorder affecting nearly 20% of the global population, with symptoms including constipation, diarrhea, bloating, and abdominal pain. As frontline healthcare providers, community pharmacists play a pivotal role in IBS management through medication guidance and patient education. However, their understanding, perceptions, and practices regarding IBS remain understudied in many regions, including Saudi Arabia. This study aimed to evaluate community pharmacists’ preparedness for IBS management by assessing their awareness, perceptions, and clinical support practices in the Qassim region of Saudi Arabia. A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted among community pharmacists in Qassim (May–August 2024) using a self-administered, 35-item questionnaire. The validated instrument assessed demographics, IBS awareness, perceptions, and clinical practices via closed-ended questions. Descriptive statistics were expressed as frequencies and percentages. Inferential analysis was performed using the Mann–Whitney U test for 2-group comparisons and the Kruskal–Wallis H test for comparisons involving 3 or more groups, with statistical significance set at P < .05. Of the 67 participants, 62.7% were male. The median age among all participants was 34 years (interquartile range = 32–38). While 61.2% of the participants demonstrated adequate IBS awareness, 38.8% had significant gaps. Notably, 77.6% recognized IBS as a quality-of-life-impairing condition, whereas 22.4% underestimated its clinical significance. Perceptions were largely constructive (64.2%), although 35.8% held negative views. Strikingly, 74.6% correctly identified IBS as more common than colorectal cancer, highlighting awareness of its prevalence. Awareness was significantly associated with higher education level ( P = .041) but not with years of experience, sex, or nationality. In total, 52.65% of the pharmacists demonstrated adequate clinical preparedness for IBS management. While the majority of Qassim community pharmacists possess foundational competence for IBS counseling, the study reveals critical gaps in recognizing warning signs and applying evidence-based pharmacotherapy. These findings underscore the necessity of targeted educational interventions and continuing professional development programs to enhance pharmacists’ preparedness.