{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,14]],"date-time":"2026-09-14T21:55:39Z","timestamp":1789422939781,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":42,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,1,6]],"date-time":"2023-01-06T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1672963200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS ONE"],"abstract":"<jats:sec id=\"sec001\">\n<jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>Patients frequently use gastric acid-reducing agents (ARAs) to treat symptoms affecting the gastrointestinal tract. Thus, the risk for drug\u2013drug interactions (DDI) is a serious concern. This potentially makes the community pharmacist (CP) act as a primary intervention by providing the appropriate counseling and dispensing practice.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec002\">\n<jats:title>Objective<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>To evaluate CPs\u2019 counseling and dispensing practices regarding complaints of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), including recommending an appropriate course of action to prevent possible DDIs.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec003\">\n<jats:title>Materials and methods<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>A simulated patient (SP) methodology was used in this study. The community pharmacies in Ajman and Sharjah were visited by SP who\u2019s responsible for acting as a patient, and by an observer who\u2019s responsible for focusing on the interaction between the SP and the CPs without engagement. Data were recorded using a preprepared data collection form. Performance feedback was sent to the CPs after concluding all visits. Counseling and dispensing scores were classified based on the total scores to poor, inadequate, and complete. Appropriateness of the pharmacist\u2019s decision was defined as dispensing antacid and advising of separating doses apart in time.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec004\">\n<jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>A total of 150 community pharmacies was included in the data analysis. The findings of the current study demonstrated poor counseling and dispensing for the vast majority of the participants (81.3% and 67.3% of respondents, respectively). Only 4% of the CPs advised the SP to have a time interval between antacid and cefuroxime axetil. A significant difference in counseling scores was found between pharmacies located in Ajman and Sharjah (<jats:italic>p = 0<\/jats:italic>.<jats:italic>01<\/jats:italic>). Also, there was a significant difference in dispensing scores between independent and chain pharmacies (<jats:italic>p = 0<\/jats:italic>.<jats:italic>003<\/jats:italic>).<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec005\">\n<jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>The findings revealed inadequate counseling and dispensing practice by CPs. This study highlighted the need for continuous professional training programs to endow the CPs with the knowledge necessary for improving the CPs\u2019 counseling and dispensing practices.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0279922","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,1,6]],"date-time":"2023-01-06T18:39:16Z","timestamp":1673030356000},"page":"e0279922","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["Community pharmacists\u2019 response to complaints of gastroesophageal reflux: A simulated patient study in the Northern United Arab Emirates"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"18","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7102-5171","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Fatima","family":"Boura","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6425-3582","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Moawia M.","family":"Al-Tabakha","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nageeb","family":"Hassan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mohamad","family":"Darwich","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,1,6]]},"reference":[{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0279922.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"462","DOI":"10.4103\/jfmpc.jfmpc_443_18","article-title":"Prevalence and risk factors of gastroesophageal reflux disease among Shaqra University students, Saudi Arabia.","volume":"8","author":"AA Alrashed","year":"2019","journal-title":"Fam Med Prim Care Rev"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0279922.ref002","first-page":"250","article-title":"Prevalence and the risk factors of gastro-esophageal reflux disease in medical students.","volume":"74","author":"A Sharma","year":"2018","journal-title":"MJAFI"},{"key":"pone.0279922.ref003","volume-title":"Symptoms in the pharmacy: a guide to the management of common illnesses:","author":"A Blenkinsopp","year":"2022"},{"issue":"8","key":"pone.0279922.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1900","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1572-0241.2006.00630.x","article-title":"The Montreal definition and classification of gastroesophageal reflux disease: a global evidence-based consensus","volume":"101","author":"N Vakil","year":"2006","journal-title":"Am J Gastroenterol"},{"key":"pone.0279922.ref005","volume-title":"Pharmacotherapy: A Pathophysiologic Approach, 11e","author":"JT Dipiro","year":"2020"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0279922.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"14","DOI":"10.5056\/jnm.2011.17.1.14","article-title":"Epidemiology of gastroesophageal reflux disease in Asia: a systematic review.","volume":"17","author":"H-K Jung","year":"2011","journal-title":"J Neurogastroenterol Motil"},{"key":"pone.0279922.ref007","first-page":"2","article-title":"prevalence and epidemiology of gastro\u2010oesophageal reflux disease","volume":"20","author":"B. 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