Knowledge Attitude and Practice of Community Pharmacists Towards Nutritional Products

BRIEF INTRODUCTION OF THE PROTOCOL

The role of nutritional products in healthcare has become increasingly significant. Community

pharmacists, being among the most accessible healthcare professionals, are often the first point of

contact for patients seeking advice on nutritional supplements. Despite this, there exists a wide

variation in their knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding these products. Evaluating their current

level of understanding and practice is essential to identify gaps and improve the quality of patient

counselling related to nutritional health.

OBJECTIVES OF STUDY

To assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of community pharmacists towards nutritional

products and to evaluate the gaps in their understanding and counselling practices related to these

products.

JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY

Community pharmacists are strategically positioned to influence the appropriate use of nutritional

products. However, studies have shown variability in their confidence and consistency in counselling

patients about these products due to limited training and access to reliable information. Understanding

their current level of engagement and identifying the challenges they face will help in designing

targeted educational programs and interventions that can enhance their role in public health nutrition

METHODOLOGY

A cross-sectional, prospective study will be conducted among community pharmacists practicing in

Dakshina Kannada district. Qualified pharmacists (D. Pharm, B.Pharm, Pharm D) who consent to

participate will be included. A validated KAP questionnaire and a well-designed data collection form

will be used to collect demographic and professional information, as well as data on their knowledge,

attitudes, and practices regarding nutritional products. The questionnaire will be developed through

literature review and validated by an expert panel. Data will be collected via direct interviews.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

Data will be analyzed using SPSS software. Quantitative data will be presented as mean + standard

deviation, while qualitative data will be summarized using frequency and percentage. Reliability of

the questionnaire will be tested using Cronbach’s alpha, with values above 0.70 considered

acceptable. Correlations and associations between knowledge, attitude, and practice will be evaluated

using appropriate statistical tests, and a p-value < 0.05 will be considered statistically significant.

OUTCOME MEASURES

The study aims to determine the current status of knowledge, attitude, and practice of community

pharmacists regarding nutritional products. The findings will help identify gaps and inform the

development of training programs to enhance pharmacists’ counselling effectiveness and contribute to

improved patient health outcomes.