Samar Younes - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Samar Younes

Nutrients

A perennial wild shrub from the Lamiaceae family and native to the Mediterranean region, thyme is... more A perennial wild shrub from the Lamiaceae family and native to the Mediterranean region, thyme is considered an important wild edible plant studied for centuries for its unique importance in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industry. Thyme is loaded with phytonutrients, minerals and vitamins. It is pungent in taste, yet rich in moisture, proteins, crude fiber, minerals and vitamins. Its chemical composition may vary with geographical location but is mainly composed of flavonoids and antioxidants. Previous studies have illustrated the therapeutic effects of thyme and its essential oils, especially thymol and carvacrol, against various diseases. This is attributed to its multi-pharmacological properties that include, but are not limited to, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antineoplastic actions. Moreover, thyme has long been known for its antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and antiseptic activities, in addition to remarkable disruption of microbial biofilms. In the COVID-...

Vaccines

Vaccination is the most effective preventative strategy against influenza, yet university student... more Vaccination is the most effective preventative strategy against influenza, yet university students’ influenza vaccination uptake remains low. This study aimed firstly to determine the percentage of university students who were vaccinated for the 2015–2016 influenza season and to identify reasons for non-vaccination, and secondly to examine the impact of external factors (on-campus/online influenza awareness campaigns and COVID-19 pandemic) on their influenza vaccination uptake and attitudes for the 2017–2018 and 2021–2022 influenza seasons. A descriptive study was conducted over three phases for three influenza seasons at a Lebanese university in the Bekaa Region. Based on data collected in 2015–2016, promotional activities were developed and implemented for the other influenza seasons. This study was conducted using an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire by students. The majority of the respondents in the three studies did not receive the influenza vaccine (89.2% in the 2015...

Frontiers in Public Health

IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic has induced a global mental health crisis with variable consequ... more IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic has induced a global mental health crisis with variable consequences. This study aimed to assess the psychological impact of COVID-19 regarding anxiety, insomnia, depression, and response to trauma on pharmacists in Lebanon during COVID-19, and to identify factors contributing to psychological distress.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study among pharmacists that involved the use of the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), 7-item Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item depression module (PHQ-9), and Impact of Event Scale revised (IES-R) subscales. Descriptive statistical analyses were performed to determine the study distribution. The associations between the scores and the participants’ characteristics were assessed using the Chi-square test. Four binary logistic regression models were used to evaluate the association between the scores and the potential confounders, followed by four multivariable logistic regres...

Background: Potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) prescribing in older increases the risk ... more Background: Potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) prescribing in older increases the risk of hospitalization, drug-related problems, and other adverse health outcomes by two to three folds (Lu WH, 2015) (WHO, 2018). Hence several regulations have been implemented in geriatric clinical practice to improve drug appropriateness. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of PIMs identified by the Beers 2019 criteria among Lebanese elderly inpatients, and to identify the factors that may influence such inappropriateness.Methods: This observational study was conducted among elderly patients of 3 hospitals in Lebanon. Data were collected from patients using a questionnaire based on the 2019 Beers criteria. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression were used to describe and identify the predictors of PIMs use. Statistical analysis was carried out using the SPSS software version 22.0.Results: A total of 110 in-patients aging 65 years and older were analyzed. 80% of ...

Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease

The emergence of a monkeypox (MPOX) outbreak in 2022 represented the most recent recognizable pub... more The emergence of a monkeypox (MPOX) outbreak in 2022 represented the most recent recognizable public health emergency at a global level. Improving knowledge and attitude towards MPOX, particularly among healthcare workers (HCWs), can be a valuable approach in public health preventive efforts aiming to halt MPOX virus spread. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the knowledge and attitude of HCWs in Lebanon towards MPOX and to assess their conspiratorial attitude towards emerging virus infections (EVIs). The current study was based on a cross-sectional online survey distributed via Google Forms during September–December 2022 implementing a convenience sampling approach. The final study sample comprised a total of 646 HCWs: physicians (n = 171, 26.5%), pharmacists (n = 283, 43.8%), and nurses (n = 168, 26.0%), among others (n = 24, 3.7%). Variable defects in MPOX knowledge were detected, with a third of the participants having MPOX knowledge above the 75th percentile (n = 218,...

Membranes

Allylamines, naftifine and terbinafine, and the benzylamine, butenafine, are antifungal agents wi... more Allylamines, naftifine and terbinafine, and the benzylamine, butenafine, are antifungal agents with activity on the fungal cell membrane. These synthetic compounds specifically inhibit squalene epoxidase, a key enzyme in fungal sterol biosynthesis. This results in a deficiency in ergosterol, a major fungal membrane sterol that regulates membrane fluidity, biogenesis, and functions, and whose damage results in increased membrane permeability and leakage of cellular components, ultimately leading to fungal cell death. With the fungal cell membrane being predominantly made up of lipids including sterols, these lipids have a vital role in the pathogenesis of fungal infections and the identification of improved therapies. This review will focus on the fungal cell membrane structure, activity of allylamines and benzylamines, and the mechanistic damage they cause to the membrane. Furthermore, pharmaceutical preparations and clinical uses of these drugs, mainly in dermatophyte infections, w...

Pharmacy Education

Background: Pharmacists serve on the frontline of healthcare provision for refugees. This study a... more Background: Pharmacists serve on the frontline of healthcare provision for refugees. This study aimed to explore (1) Syrian refugees’ healthcare status from the perspectives of the refugees and Lebanese community pharmacists; (2) refugees’ barriers to healthcare access; and (3) the challenges pharmacists encounter in the provision of healthcare. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted during July-August 2019 in Bekaa Region. Syrian refugees and Lebanese community pharmacists anonymously completed two different questionnaires. SPSS Statistics Version 22.0 was used to analyse the data. Results: A total of 671 refugees and 103 pharmacists responded to the questionnaires. The responding refugees and pharmacists identified the inability to afford physician and drug fees as the primary and secondary barriers to healthcare access for refugees; while health illiteracy was the primary challenge identified by the responding pharmacists when providing care to refugees. Conclusio...

Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning

European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education

COVID-19 has impacted mental health and affected education due to the shift to remote learning. T... more COVID-19 has impacted mental health and affected education due to the shift to remote learning. The purpose of the current study was to assess the mental health of pharmacy students one year following the onset of the pandemic. A descriptive cross-sectional questionnaire was distributed to pharmacy students. The severity of depression, anxiety, and stress was assessed by the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21), and resilience was assessed by the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS). COVID-19-related economic, educational, and health stressors, and students’ vaccine attitudes were surveyed. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariable analysis were used, and a p-value of <0.05 was considered significant. A total of 561 students participated; 37% had mild-to-moderate depression, 37% had severe-to-extremely-severe anxiety, and 52% demonstrated normal stress levels. Severe depression, anxiety, and stress were associated with smoking and feeling isolated due to COVID-19. Around 40% of stud...

BMC Nephrology

Introduction Good knowledge and early identification of chronic kidney disease (CKD) can help in ... more Introduction Good knowledge and early identification of chronic kidney disease (CKD) can help in preventing disease progression in its early stages and reducing undesired outcomes. The aim of the current study was to assess the level of public knowledge about CKD, determine predictors of better knowledge, and to construct and validate a CKD knowledge scale for public health assessment and research use. Methods A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted using an electronic self-administered questionnaire. All people living in Lebanon and being 18 years of age and above were considered eligible for recruitment. CKD knowledge was assessed by a 37-item scale that was constructed by principal component analysis and then validated. The score of the CKD knowledge scale was computed from the extracted factors. A multivariable binomial logistic regression model evaluated the sociodemographic and clinical predictors of the knowledge score. Results A total of 1308 participants were ...

Pharmacy Education

Introduction: This study aimed to determine the knowledge, awareness, and attitudes regarding epi... more Introduction: This study aimed to determine the knowledge, awareness, and attitudes regarding epilepsy among undergraduate pharmacy students in a Lebanese private university. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted through a web-based questionnaire that was sent to 251 pharmacy students. Data related to demographic characteristics and understanding of epilepsy were collected. Results: Around 58% of the students completed the questionnaire, with a mean age of 20.5 years and the majority being females (80%). Most students believed that the origin of epilepsy is neurological (93%). About 47% were aware of the types of seizures. Lectures were the most relevant source of information (64%). The majority of respondents (97%) knew that treatment of epilepsy is mainly by using medications. Conclusion: This study reflected a satisfactory level of awareness and knowledge of epilepsy among undergraduate pharmacy students, however, there is a need to improve certain a...

Perspectives in Psychiatric Care

Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the impact of war on Syrian refugees' life in Bekaa/Lebanon,... more Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the impact of war on Syrian refugees' life in Bekaa/Lebanon, focusing on psychological and physical symptoms, and to assess the prevalence of the most common symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in affected patients recruited in the study. Design and Methods: This observational study was conducted over a period of 1 month-June 2019-in three main camps in the Bekaa region. After taking approval, a total number of 108 Syrian refugees were interviewed and asked about their quality of life and health conditions in camps, after leaving their country. A validated questionnaire was filled by field researchers to gather information on refugees' psychological distresses, physical symptoms, and future perspective. Findings: During the 4 weeks of study, 108 refugees completed the questionnaire; psychological assessment showed 73.8% of refugees who were exposed to the fighting atmosphere, suffered from one or more psychological symptoms related to PTSD. In addition, 50.5% of the refugees were <30 years old, and among those, 83.5% believed that they have no future for themselves and their families, while 15.4% lost hope in a better life. Seventy-four percent reported at least one physical symptom in the past 4 weeks that is related to PTSD. Furthermore, 64.3% strongly agreed that there is lack of awareness and medical care including psychological and mental health, while 56.1% strongly agreed on the important role of pharmacists and other healthcare professionals in providing advice to patients on their overall health and mental health. Conclusion: Syrian refugees at the assessed camps suffered from psychological distress that requires urgent attention. Current medical and psychological support is absent, and further assessment is needed.

Objective: This study was conducted to assess the knowledge and practice regarding influenza infe... more Objective: This study was conducted to assess the knowledge and practice regarding influenza infection among university students in a rural area in Lebanon, and to check their influenza vaccination practices. Methods: A survey was performed on private university students in Bekaa valley, a rural area of Lebanon. An interviewer-administered 4-section questionnaire was used to record sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge about influenza, knowledge about influenza vaccination, and influenza vaccination status. Knowledge scores were set, where knowledgeable respondents were those correctly answering ≥ 50% of knowledge questions about influenza or influenza vaccination. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 18. Descriptive analysis with frequency tables was performed. A p-value of 0.05 was set as significant level for analysis. Results: One-hundred twenty-eight students from various schools completed the questionnaire. In knowledge questions, 39% of respondents were not knowledgeab...

The Journal of medical research, 2020

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the use of antidepressants among the Lebanese population,... more Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the use of antidepressants among the Lebanese population, focusing on factors that may contribute to their use, and to assess the knowledge of antidepressants in patients recruited for this study. Methods: This observational study was conducted over a period of one month in the Bekaa region. After taking their approval, a total number of 283Lebanese residents were interviewed and asked about the use, perspective and knowledge of antidepressants. A questionnaire was filled by pharmacists to gather information from the residents. Results: Results showed that 61.1% of respondents took antidepressants in the 3 past months, 30.4% were university students (p = 0.048), among of which32.5% reported using social media many times per day. 83.2% of medications were prescribed by a physician, while 9.8% were prescribed by a pharmacist, among of which 48% didn’t interrupt the treatment course on their own (p=0.001). Furthermore, 54.77% of respondents got s...

L'Encéphale, 2021

Elsevier has created a COVID-19 resource centre with free information in English and Mandarin on ... more Elsevier has created a COVID-19 resource centre with free information in English and Mandarin on the novel coronavirus COVID-19. The COVID-19 resource centre is hosted on Elsevier Connect, the company's public news and information website. Elsevier hereby grants permission to make all its COVID-19-related research that is available on the COVID-19 resource centre-including this research content-immediately available in PubMed Central and other publicly funded repositories, such as the WHO COVID database with rights for unrestricted research re-use and analyses in any form or by any means with acknowledgement of the original source. These permissions are granted for free by Elsevier for as long as the COVID-19 resource centre remains active.

Pharmacy Education

Objective: To determine the perception of pharmacy faculty towards online education at the School... more Objective: To determine the perception of pharmacy faculty towards online education at the School of Pharmacy at the Lebanese International University upon the sudden shift to remote education due to COVID19. Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive, quantitative study was conducted through a questionnaire administered to faculty members. It inquired about institutional educational changes and measured faculty perceptions towards this new educational method. Results: About 79% of the faculty responded to the survey (N = 49) and only 24.5% had previous experience with online education (N = 12). The majority (75.5%) used blended methods for course delivery (N = 37). More than half (N = 27) were generally undecided whether online learning was better or worse than normal education. More than 55% of the respondents showed high positive perceptions regarding remote education (N = 27). Conclusion: The preliminary findings reflect that faculty are still uncertain regarding the prompt educati...

Pharmacy Education

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a slew of new obstacles for all health professionals, particu... more The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a slew of new obstacles for all health professionals, particularly those in charge of training students. Many pharmacy schools had to convert to virtual experiential learning with little to no existing literature, framework, or appropriate time for preparation. This review documents the virtual pharmacy practice training at a university in Lebanon during COVID-19 and several other colleges of pharmacy worldwide that have shared their experiences. A literature review of international publications was performed in PubMed and Google Scholar between 1 March 2022 and 30 May 2022, and relevant articles were included. The narrative offers a variety of approaches to ensure that pharmacy learners prioritise self-care, are adequately prepared to enter pharmacy practice, and reflect on their learning. However, other aspects, such as the use of a variety of online training platforms, the inclusion of more patient-centric activities, and the provision of live ...

Archives Of Pharmacy Practice, 2021

Nutrients

A perennial wild shrub from the Lamiaceae family and native to the Mediterranean region, thyme is... more A perennial wild shrub from the Lamiaceae family and native to the Mediterranean region, thyme is considered an important wild edible plant studied for centuries for its unique importance in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industry. Thyme is loaded with phytonutrients, minerals and vitamins. It is pungent in taste, yet rich in moisture, proteins, crude fiber, minerals and vitamins. Its chemical composition may vary with geographical location but is mainly composed of flavonoids and antioxidants. Previous studies have illustrated the therapeutic effects of thyme and its essential oils, especially thymol and carvacrol, against various diseases. This is attributed to its multi-pharmacological properties that include, but are not limited to, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antineoplastic actions. Moreover, thyme has long been known for its antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and antiseptic activities, in addition to remarkable disruption of microbial biofilms. In the COVID-...

Vaccines

Vaccination is the most effective preventative strategy against influenza, yet university student... more Vaccination is the most effective preventative strategy against influenza, yet university students’ influenza vaccination uptake remains low. This study aimed firstly to determine the percentage of university students who were vaccinated for the 2015–2016 influenza season and to identify reasons for non-vaccination, and secondly to examine the impact of external factors (on-campus/online influenza awareness campaigns and COVID-19 pandemic) on their influenza vaccination uptake and attitudes for the 2017–2018 and 2021–2022 influenza seasons. A descriptive study was conducted over three phases for three influenza seasons at a Lebanese university in the Bekaa Region. Based on data collected in 2015–2016, promotional activities were developed and implemented for the other influenza seasons. This study was conducted using an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire by students. The majority of the respondents in the three studies did not receive the influenza vaccine (89.2% in the 2015...

Frontiers in Public Health

IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic has induced a global mental health crisis with variable consequ... more IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic has induced a global mental health crisis with variable consequences. This study aimed to assess the psychological impact of COVID-19 regarding anxiety, insomnia, depression, and response to trauma on pharmacists in Lebanon during COVID-19, and to identify factors contributing to psychological distress.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study among pharmacists that involved the use of the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), 7-item Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item depression module (PHQ-9), and Impact of Event Scale revised (IES-R) subscales. Descriptive statistical analyses were performed to determine the study distribution. The associations between the scores and the participants’ characteristics were assessed using the Chi-square test. Four binary logistic regression models were used to evaluate the association between the scores and the potential confounders, followed by four multivariable logistic regres...

Background: Potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) prescribing in older increases the risk ... more Background: Potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) prescribing in older increases the risk of hospitalization, drug-related problems, and other adverse health outcomes by two to three folds (Lu WH, 2015) (WHO, 2018). Hence several regulations have been implemented in geriatric clinical practice to improve drug appropriateness. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of PIMs identified by the Beers 2019 criteria among Lebanese elderly inpatients, and to identify the factors that may influence such inappropriateness.Methods: This observational study was conducted among elderly patients of 3 hospitals in Lebanon. Data were collected from patients using a questionnaire based on the 2019 Beers criteria. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression were used to describe and identify the predictors of PIMs use. Statistical analysis was carried out using the SPSS software version 22.0.Results: A total of 110 in-patients aging 65 years and older were analyzed. 80% of ...

Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease

The emergence of a monkeypox (MPOX) outbreak in 2022 represented the most recent recognizable pub... more The emergence of a monkeypox (MPOX) outbreak in 2022 represented the most recent recognizable public health emergency at a global level. Improving knowledge and attitude towards MPOX, particularly among healthcare workers (HCWs), can be a valuable approach in public health preventive efforts aiming to halt MPOX virus spread. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the knowledge and attitude of HCWs in Lebanon towards MPOX and to assess their conspiratorial attitude towards emerging virus infections (EVIs). The current study was based on a cross-sectional online survey distributed via Google Forms during September–December 2022 implementing a convenience sampling approach. The final study sample comprised a total of 646 HCWs: physicians (n = 171, 26.5%), pharmacists (n = 283, 43.8%), and nurses (n = 168, 26.0%), among others (n = 24, 3.7%). Variable defects in MPOX knowledge were detected, with a third of the participants having MPOX knowledge above the 75th percentile (n = 218,...

Membranes

Allylamines, naftifine and terbinafine, and the benzylamine, butenafine, are antifungal agents wi... more Allylamines, naftifine and terbinafine, and the benzylamine, butenafine, are antifungal agents with activity on the fungal cell membrane. These synthetic compounds specifically inhibit squalene epoxidase, a key enzyme in fungal sterol biosynthesis. This results in a deficiency in ergosterol, a major fungal membrane sterol that regulates membrane fluidity, biogenesis, and functions, and whose damage results in increased membrane permeability and leakage of cellular components, ultimately leading to fungal cell death. With the fungal cell membrane being predominantly made up of lipids including sterols, these lipids have a vital role in the pathogenesis of fungal infections and the identification of improved therapies. This review will focus on the fungal cell membrane structure, activity of allylamines and benzylamines, and the mechanistic damage they cause to the membrane. Furthermore, pharmaceutical preparations and clinical uses of these drugs, mainly in dermatophyte infections, w...

Pharmacy Education

Background: Pharmacists serve on the frontline of healthcare provision for refugees. This study a... more Background: Pharmacists serve on the frontline of healthcare provision for refugees. This study aimed to explore (1) Syrian refugees’ healthcare status from the perspectives of the refugees and Lebanese community pharmacists; (2) refugees’ barriers to healthcare access; and (3) the challenges pharmacists encounter in the provision of healthcare. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted during July-August 2019 in Bekaa Region. Syrian refugees and Lebanese community pharmacists anonymously completed two different questionnaires. SPSS Statistics Version 22.0 was used to analyse the data. Results: A total of 671 refugees and 103 pharmacists responded to the questionnaires. The responding refugees and pharmacists identified the inability to afford physician and drug fees as the primary and secondary barriers to healthcare access for refugees; while health illiteracy was the primary challenge identified by the responding pharmacists when providing care to refugees. Conclusio...

Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning

European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education

COVID-19 has impacted mental health and affected education due to the shift to remote learning. T... more COVID-19 has impacted mental health and affected education due to the shift to remote learning. The purpose of the current study was to assess the mental health of pharmacy students one year following the onset of the pandemic. A descriptive cross-sectional questionnaire was distributed to pharmacy students. The severity of depression, anxiety, and stress was assessed by the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21), and resilience was assessed by the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS). COVID-19-related economic, educational, and health stressors, and students’ vaccine attitudes were surveyed. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariable analysis were used, and a p-value of <0.05 was considered significant. A total of 561 students participated; 37% had mild-to-moderate depression, 37% had severe-to-extremely-severe anxiety, and 52% demonstrated normal stress levels. Severe depression, anxiety, and stress were associated with smoking and feeling isolated due to COVID-19. Around 40% of stud...

BMC Nephrology

Introduction Good knowledge and early identification of chronic kidney disease (CKD) can help in ... more Introduction Good knowledge and early identification of chronic kidney disease (CKD) can help in preventing disease progression in its early stages and reducing undesired outcomes. The aim of the current study was to assess the level of public knowledge about CKD, determine predictors of better knowledge, and to construct and validate a CKD knowledge scale for public health assessment and research use. Methods A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted using an electronic self-administered questionnaire. All people living in Lebanon and being 18 years of age and above were considered eligible for recruitment. CKD knowledge was assessed by a 37-item scale that was constructed by principal component analysis and then validated. The score of the CKD knowledge scale was computed from the extracted factors. A multivariable binomial logistic regression model evaluated the sociodemographic and clinical predictors of the knowledge score. Results A total of 1308 participants were ...

Pharmacy Education

Introduction: This study aimed to determine the knowledge, awareness, and attitudes regarding epi... more Introduction: This study aimed to determine the knowledge, awareness, and attitudes regarding epilepsy among undergraduate pharmacy students in a Lebanese private university. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted through a web-based questionnaire that was sent to 251 pharmacy students. Data related to demographic characteristics and understanding of epilepsy were collected. Results: Around 58% of the students completed the questionnaire, with a mean age of 20.5 years and the majority being females (80%). Most students believed that the origin of epilepsy is neurological (93%). About 47% were aware of the types of seizures. Lectures were the most relevant source of information (64%). The majority of respondents (97%) knew that treatment of epilepsy is mainly by using medications. Conclusion: This study reflected a satisfactory level of awareness and knowledge of epilepsy among undergraduate pharmacy students, however, there is a need to improve certain a...

Perspectives in Psychiatric Care

Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the impact of war on Syrian refugees' life in Bekaa/Lebanon,... more Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the impact of war on Syrian refugees' life in Bekaa/Lebanon, focusing on psychological and physical symptoms, and to assess the prevalence of the most common symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in affected patients recruited in the study. Design and Methods: This observational study was conducted over a period of 1 month-June 2019-in three main camps in the Bekaa region. After taking approval, a total number of 108 Syrian refugees were interviewed and asked about their quality of life and health conditions in camps, after leaving their country. A validated questionnaire was filled by field researchers to gather information on refugees' psychological distresses, physical symptoms, and future perspective. Findings: During the 4 weeks of study, 108 refugees completed the questionnaire; psychological assessment showed 73.8% of refugees who were exposed to the fighting atmosphere, suffered from one or more psychological symptoms related to PTSD. In addition, 50.5% of the refugees were <30 years old, and among those, 83.5% believed that they have no future for themselves and their families, while 15.4% lost hope in a better life. Seventy-four percent reported at least one physical symptom in the past 4 weeks that is related to PTSD. Furthermore, 64.3% strongly agreed that there is lack of awareness and medical care including psychological and mental health, while 56.1% strongly agreed on the important role of pharmacists and other healthcare professionals in providing advice to patients on their overall health and mental health. Conclusion: Syrian refugees at the assessed camps suffered from psychological distress that requires urgent attention. Current medical and psychological support is absent, and further assessment is needed.

Objective: This study was conducted to assess the knowledge and practice regarding influenza infe... more Objective: This study was conducted to assess the knowledge and practice regarding influenza infection among university students in a rural area in Lebanon, and to check their influenza vaccination practices. Methods: A survey was performed on private university students in Bekaa valley, a rural area of Lebanon. An interviewer-administered 4-section questionnaire was used to record sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge about influenza, knowledge about influenza vaccination, and influenza vaccination status. Knowledge scores were set, where knowledgeable respondents were those correctly answering ≥ 50% of knowledge questions about influenza or influenza vaccination. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 18. Descriptive analysis with frequency tables was performed. A p-value of 0.05 was set as significant level for analysis. Results: One-hundred twenty-eight students from various schools completed the questionnaire. In knowledge questions, 39% of respondents were not knowledgeab...

The Journal of medical research, 2020

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the use of antidepressants among the Lebanese population,... more Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the use of antidepressants among the Lebanese population, focusing on factors that may contribute to their use, and to assess the knowledge of antidepressants in patients recruited for this study. Methods: This observational study was conducted over a period of one month in the Bekaa region. After taking their approval, a total number of 283Lebanese residents were interviewed and asked about the use, perspective and knowledge of antidepressants. A questionnaire was filled by pharmacists to gather information from the residents. Results: Results showed that 61.1% of respondents took antidepressants in the 3 past months, 30.4% were university students (p = 0.048), among of which32.5% reported using social media many times per day. 83.2% of medications were prescribed by a physician, while 9.8% were prescribed by a pharmacist, among of which 48% didn’t interrupt the treatment course on their own (p=0.001). Furthermore, 54.77% of respondents got s...

L'Encéphale, 2021

Elsevier has created a COVID-19 resource centre with free information in English and Mandarin on ... more Elsevier has created a COVID-19 resource centre with free information in English and Mandarin on the novel coronavirus COVID-19. The COVID-19 resource centre is hosted on Elsevier Connect, the company's public news and information website. Elsevier hereby grants permission to make all its COVID-19-related research that is available on the COVID-19 resource centre-including this research content-immediately available in PubMed Central and other publicly funded repositories, such as the WHO COVID database with rights for unrestricted research re-use and analyses in any form or by any means with acknowledgement of the original source. These permissions are granted for free by Elsevier for as long as the COVID-19 resource centre remains active.

Pharmacy Education

Objective: To determine the perception of pharmacy faculty towards online education at the School... more Objective: To determine the perception of pharmacy faculty towards online education at the School of Pharmacy at the Lebanese International University upon the sudden shift to remote education due to COVID19. Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive, quantitative study was conducted through a questionnaire administered to faculty members. It inquired about institutional educational changes and measured faculty perceptions towards this new educational method. Results: About 79% of the faculty responded to the survey (N = 49) and only 24.5% had previous experience with online education (N = 12). The majority (75.5%) used blended methods for course delivery (N = 37). More than half (N = 27) were generally undecided whether online learning was better or worse than normal education. More than 55% of the respondents showed high positive perceptions regarding remote education (N = 27). Conclusion: The preliminary findings reflect that faculty are still uncertain regarding the prompt educati...

Pharmacy Education

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a slew of new obstacles for all health professionals, particu... more The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a slew of new obstacles for all health professionals, particularly those in charge of training students. Many pharmacy schools had to convert to virtual experiential learning with little to no existing literature, framework, or appropriate time for preparation. This review documents the virtual pharmacy practice training at a university in Lebanon during COVID-19 and several other colleges of pharmacy worldwide that have shared their experiences. A literature review of international publications was performed in PubMed and Google Scholar between 1 March 2022 and 30 May 2022, and relevant articles were included. The narrative offers a variety of approaches to ensure that pharmacy learners prioritise self-care, are adequately prepared to enter pharmacy practice, and reflect on their learning. However, other aspects, such as the use of a variety of online training platforms, the inclusion of more patient-centric activities, and the provision of live ...

Archives Of Pharmacy Practice, 2021