The impact of COVID-19 on mental health: Public perceptions of community pharmacist's role in mental health support

Dhafer Alshayban; Rawad  Althani; Safa  Alhawashim; Royes  Joseph; Veerendra  Chandralla; Zainab  Al Jamea; Layan   Alsulaiman; Md. Ashraful  Islam; Bashayer  Alshehail; Fawaz M. Alotaibi; Sawsan M.  Kurdi; Ibrahim M. Asiri; Mohammed M. Alsultan; Yousef Saeed Alqarni; Habeeb   Ibrahim; Foziah J. Al‑Shamrani

doi:10.23750/abm.v96i6.17053

The impact of COVID-19 on mental health: Public perceptions of community pharmacist's role in mental health support

Authors

Dhafer Alshayban Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
Rawad Althani Department of pharmacy, Almana Hospital, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
Safa Alhawashim Department of pharmacy, Almana Hospital, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
Royes Joseph Biostatistics unit, School of Medicine, Keele University, Keele, ST5 5AZ, UK
Veerendra Chandralla Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
Zainab Al Jamea Pharmaceutical care department, King Fahd University hospital, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University
Layan Alsulaiman Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
Md. Ashraful Islam Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
Bashayer Alshehail Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
Fawaz M. Alotaibi Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
Sawsan M. Kurdi Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
Ibrahim M. Asiri Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
Mohammed M. Alsultan Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
Yousef Saeed Alqarni Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
Habeeb Ibrahim Department of Cardiac Sciences, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Foziah J. Al‑Shamrani Department of Neurology College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia

Keywords:

Covid -19, Pandemic, Public Health, Community Psychology, Well being

Abstract

Background and aim: The global impact of COVID-19 on mental health has been enormous. Community pharmacists are frontline healthcare providers and serve as direct access points for patients. This research sought to assess how the public in Saudi Arabia perceived and accepted the role of community pharmacists in providing mental health support during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: An online cross-sectional study was conducted among the Saudi public aged 18 years or above using the QuestionPro platform. The validated bilingual (English and Arabic) questionnaire was simple and detailed. One key item assessed participants’ agreement with the statement, “Pharmacists can counsel people on psychological issues,” using a five-point Likert scale. The survey link was distributed via social media platforms.

Results: A total of 773 participants completed the survey. Majority were female (65.2%), age between 18 to 24 years (48.1%). Nearly half of the participants disagreed with the statement that pharmacists could provide support on psychological issues, while 19% agreed. Age, employment status, and the way psychological issues were managed during the pandemic showed a significant association with the public’s acceptance of community pharmacists' role in delivering mental health services (p<0.001).

Conclusions: Despite accessibility to community pharmacists during the pandemic, participants showed a clear preference to consult physicians regarding mental health issues. This suggests lack of acceptance to community pharmacist’s role in providing mental health support. Future research should explore barriers to public acceptance of community pharmacists in mental health support. Furthermore, policymakers are encouraged to develop and implement initiatives aimed at enhancing public awareness of the pharmacists’ contribution to mental health promotion.

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