A qualitative exploration of community pharmacists’ practices and beliefs of pretravel pharmacist consultations for prospective Hajj and Umrah pilgrims

Pharmacy Practice

  • Norazlin Abdul Kadir1Department of Pharmacy, Kuala Lumpur Health Clinic, Ministry of Health Malaysia, 53200, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia., 2Department of Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 42300, Puncak Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.
  • Mohd Shahezwan Abd Wahab2Department of Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 42300, Puncak Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.
  • Azyyati Mohd Suhaimi3Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, 22200, Besut, Terengganu, Malaysia.
  • Noordin Othman4Quality Use of Medicines in Umrah and Hajj Pilgrimage Research Group, Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Taibah University, 30001, Madinah, Saudi Arabia., 5School of Pharmacy, Management and Science University, University Drive, Off Persiaran Olahraga, 40100 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.

Volume 23 Issue 2 Pages 1-16

DOI: 10.18549/PharmPract.2025.2.3188

Abstract

Introduction: The Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, are recognized as two of the largest mass religious gatherings worldwide. Due to the vast number of participants, these pilgrimages pose significant risks to pilgrims, including the transmission of communicable diseases and exposure to various environmental hazards. Community pharmacists (CPs) providing pretravel pharmacist consultations (PTPC) play a pivotal role in mitigating these risks and promoting the health and safety of prospective Hajj and Umrah pilgrims. Objective: This study aims to explore the practices and beliefs of CPs concerning PTPC for prospective Hajj and Umrah pilgrims. Methods: A semi-structured interview study was conducted with 24 CPs in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) was utilized to guide both the development of the interview protocol and the subsequent data analysis. Face-to-face interviews were conducted to explore CPs’ practices and beliefs, particularly the barriers and facilitators associated with providing PTPC for prospective Hajj and Umrah pilgrims. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: The study identified seven distinct activities performed by CPs, with the provision of travel health education being the most commonly reported. Beliefs related to PTPC were categorized into fourteen domains of the TDF. The findings indicate that CPs are generally motivated to provide PTPC services for these pilgrims. However, they also reported significant knowledge gaps, particularly regarding Hajj and Umrah travel guidelines and health issues specific to the pilgrimage. Moreover, CPs encountered several challenges, including staff shortages, limited time, low confidence in handling regulatory issues and disease management, and a perceived lack of support from physicians. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that strengthening the provision of PTPC for prospective Hajj and Umrah pilgrims can be accomplished through several key strategies. These include enhancing education and training for CPs, improving access to relevant resources, fostering interprofessional collaboration, and implementing supportive policies to facilitate the delivery of these services.

Keywords

  • Community pharmacist
  • Hajj
  • Umrah
  • mass gathering
  • travel medicine
  • qualitative
  • theoretical domains framework
  • Malaysia
Pharmacy Practice

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