Pharmacists’ Knowledge about Chronic Kidney Disease and its Management: Exploring Gaps and the Associated Factors

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a worldwide public health problem. This study assessed pharmacists’ knowledge about CKD and its therapeutic management. Online questionnaire was composed of three sections: sociodemographic factors, disease knowledge questions (range 0-11) and therapeutic knowledge-based questions (range 0-12). Disease and therapeutic knowledge indices were developed by calculating the median of the right answers for each part. Regression analysis was conducted to explore variables associated with CKD knowledge and its management. 352 pharmacists participated in the study. The median age was 31 (23–35) year, The majority of pharmacists (58%) were female, had bachelor’s degree of pharmacy (84.7%), and had 1-3 years of experience (52.6%). The findings showed the participants exhibiting insufficient degree of knowledge about CKD knowledge with a median score of 7 (3-10) and a slightly higher degree of understanding in therapeutic knowledge compared to disease knowledge with median score 8 (4-11). Nevertheless, 79.5% of the sample members indicated that CKD is preventable. Increased age was associated with decreased knowledge (β = -0.038; P = 0.028). Hospital pharmacist increased the odds of having better knowledge about CKD (β = 0.044; P = 0.02). Higher academic achievement (β= 0.065; P=0.001) and being hospital pharmacist (β= 0.033; P= 0.02) were associated with improved CKD therapeutics’. The CKD knowledge among pharmacists is insufficient. Pharmacists need to be updated on CKD and encouraged to participate in formal training programs about renal disease management.