Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Pharmacy - Department of Pharmaceutics

Availability and accessibility of essential medicines for patients are important to fulfill goals of health systems. In Egypt, complaints about drug shortages increased especially after the political unrest following the 25th January revolution. Trends in healthcare professionals{u2019} (HCPs) behaviors can worsen impact of drug shortages. Understanding perceptions and behaviors of HCPs in managing drug shortages is necessary to improve drug shortage management. OBJECTIVES To describe the drug shortage problem in Egypt and its health, economic, and professional impacts on the healthcare system, and to describe factors affecting how HCPs perceive and respond to drug shortages. METHODS This is a cross-sectional descriptive questionnaire-based study. A preliminary questionnaire was adopted from previously published questionnaires and used as a guide for a pilot study to develop the questionnaire tools to be used in the study. Three final forms of the questionnaire were developed targeting community pharmacists (CPs), hospital pharmacists (HPs) and physicians. Questionnaire for CPs and HPs had four domains while questionnaire for physicians had three domains. First part of all questionnaires gathered demographic data of the participant and his/her workplace. Second part asked about proposed consequences and managements related to drug shortages

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