title: Risk of error estimated from Palestine pharmacists' knowledge and certainty on the adverse effects and contraindications of active pharmaceutical ingredients and excipients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to investigate community pharmacists' knowledge and certainty of adverse effects and contraindications of pharmaceutical products to estimate the risk of error. Factors influencing their knowledge and certainty were also investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  The knowledge of community pharmacists was assessed in a cross-sectional design using a multiple-choice questions test on the adverse effects and contraindications of active pharmaceutical ingredients and excipients from May 2014 to March 2015. Self-rated certainty scores were also recorded for each question. Knowledge and certainty scores were combined to estimate the risk of error.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 315 subjects, 129 community pharmacists (41.0%) completed the 30 multiple-choice questions test on active ingredients and excipients. Knowledge on active ingredients was associated with the year of graduation and obtaining a licence to practice pharmacy. Knowledge on excipients was associated with the degree obtained. There was higher risk of error in items on excipients than those on ingredients (P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The knowledge of community pharmacists in Palestine was insufficient with high risk of errors. Knowledge of community pharmacists on the safety issues of active ingredients and excipients need to be improved.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine.|An-Najah BioSciences Unit, Centre for Poisons Control, Chemical and Biological Analyses, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine.|Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine.
authors.forename: Ramzi
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2403-610X
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shawahna
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine.
authors.forename: Mohammed
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-4731-3149
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Rjoub
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine.
authors.forename: Mohammed M
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-5218-4559
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Al-Horoub
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine.
authors.forename: Wasif
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-3328-5025
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Al-Hroub
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine.
authors.forename: Bisan
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2093-4033
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Al-Rjoub
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine.
authors.forename: Bashaaer Abd
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-1192-8803
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Al-Nabi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018912:Arabs; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services; D000075202:Contraindications; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005079:Excipients / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000517:prevention & control; D008875:Middle Aged; D010595:Pharmacists; D012306:Risk; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D005079:Excipients
keywords: Cross-sectional studies; Excipients; Palestine; Pharmaceutical services; Risk