Background: Despite the availability of prevention guidelines and recommendations on infection control, many dental practices lack the minimum requirements for infection control. Objective: This study aimed to assess the level of awareness, perception, and attitude regarding the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and infection control among Jordanian dentists. Methods: The study population consisted of dentists who worked in private clinics, hospitals, and health centers in Jordan. An online questionnaire was sent to a sample of Jordanian dentists in March 2020. The questionnaire was comprised of a series of questions about dentists’ demographic characteristics; their awareness of the incubation period, the symptoms of the disease, mode of transmission of COVID-19 and infection control measures for preventing COVID-19; and their attitude toward treating patients with COVID-19. Results: This study included a total of 368 dentists aged 22-73 years (mean 32.9 years, SD 10.6 years). A total of 112 (30.4%) dentists had completed a master or residency program in dentistry, 195 (53.0%) had received training in infection control in dentistry, and 28 (7.6%) had attended training or lectures regarding COVID-19. A total of 133 (36.1%) dentists reported that the incubation period is 1-14 days. The majority of dentists were aware of COVID-19 symptoms and ways of identifying patients at risk of having COVID-19, were able to correctly report known modes of transmission, and were aware of measures for preventing COVID-19 transmission in dental clinics. A total of 275 (74.7%) believed that it was necessary to ask patients to sit far from each other, wear masks while in the waiting room, and wash hands before getting in the dental chair to decrease disease transmission. Conclusions: Jordanian dentists were aware of COVID-19 symptoms, mode of transmission, and infection controls and measures in dental clinics. However, dentists had limited comprehension of the extra precautionary measures that protect the dental staff and other patients from COVID-19. National and international guidelines should be sent by the regional and national dental associations to all registered dentists during a crisis, including the COVID-19 pandemic, to make sure that dentists are well informed and aware of best practices and recommended disease management approaches.

A survey was conducted to estimate the prevalence of self-medication with antibiotics in Jordan and evaluate the factors associated with antibiotic misuse. Validated questionnaire was used to collect data from a sample of 1943 households (9281 persons) selected from among different cities in Jordan. 842 (39.5%) of 2133 antibiotic users identified via the survey had used antibiotics without a prescription within a one-month study period. Self-medication with antibiotics was found to be significantly associated with age, income, and level of education. The main reason for self-medication as reported by the participants was their previous experience on the efficacy of treatment. The main sources of antibiotics were the previously prescribed pharmaceuticals stored in the household and those purchased in pharmacies. The prevalence of self-medication with antibiotics in Jordan is alarmingly high. Given the growing global resistance to antibiotics and the documented health problems related to their inappropriate use, our findings may have major public health policy implications in Jordan.

Statins have several effects beyond their well-known antihyperlipidemic activity, which include immunomodulatory, antioxidative and anticoagulant effects. In this study, we have tested the possible antimicrobial activity of statins against a range of standard bacterial strains and bacterial clinical isolates.

Background In the telepharmacy model, the pharmacist can play a pivotal role in delivering pharmaceutical services for patients. However, evidence of pharmacists’ impact on improving patient outcomes through disease outbreak through telepharmacy is sparse. Objectives This study aims to examine pharmacists' attitudes towards clinical benefits and identify challenges regarding the use of telepharmacy during the COVID‐19 pandemic in Jordan. Method A cross‐sectional survey design was used to recruit eligible participants from both hospital and community pharmacies. Results A total of 364 pharmacists agreed to participate in the study. The majority of the participants (70.6%) expressed favorable attitudes towards telepharmacy to accurately capture and report signs and symptoms of COVID‐19. Almost 91% agreed that patients can receive immediate medical feedback while using telepharmacy services. Pharmacists (87%) emphasized their role in the monitoring of physiological parameters when entered by patients using telepharmacy technology. However, more than half of the participants reported that lack of reimbursement and evidence‐based studies might hinder the use of telemedicine technology to deliver remote clinical services. Conclusion The need for implementing telepharmacy technology has been further boosted due to its noticeable benefits in promoting convenient healthcare services remotely in emergency situations.

Optimization of drug therapy and preventing drug-related problems (DRPs) are major factors to improve health care, reduce expenditure, and potentially save lives. This study aimed at describing the types, numbers, and frequencies of DRPs in the outpatient settings of a group of hospitals in Jordan. The study was set in the cardiology, endocrine, and respiratory outpatient clinics of five major hospitals in Jordan. Patients who visited the above clinics during the period from September 2012 to December 2013, were candidates for this study. Each included subject was fully assessed for DRPs by clinical pharmacists according to a specially designed and validated pharmaceutical care manual. The main outcome measures were the number and types of DRPs. Data were collected from 2,898 patients (mean age ± standard deviation: 56.59±13.5 years). The total number of identified DRPs was 32,348, with an average of 11.2 DRPs per patient. The most common DRPs were a need for additional or more frequent monitoring, a problem in patients’ adherence to self-care activities or nonpharmacological therapy, and that the patient was not given instruction in or did not understand nonpharmacological therapy or self-care advice. The numbers of DRPs per patient in our sample were associated with older age (>57 years), being unmarried, having an education level of high school or less, not having health insurance, and the presence of certain clinical conditions, including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, ischemic heart disease, cardiac catheterization, heart failure, and gout. In conclusion, implementation of clinical pharmacy services is a strategy to limit DRPs. Certain patient populations are more vulnerable to DRPs.