Education package improves pharmacist knowledge, confidence on HIV management

A pharmacy-specific, foundational HIV management education package can help improve pharmacist knowledge in HIV management and self-reported confidence in managing this specialty area, suggests a recent study.

Researchers developed a foundational HIV education package with assessment and determined the participants’ baseline knowledge and self-reported confidence in HIV management using an anonymous online questionnaire. Participants who completed the pre-education questionnaire were given access to the self-paced, online education package.

A second questionnaire was accomplished by participants following their completion of the package at a time of their choosing, within 2 months of the first questionnaire completion. Both surveys had a similar knowledge difficulty and addressed similar clinical domains. The researchers then analysed mean differences in knowledge and confidence levels, with subgroup analyses of knowledge categories.

Overall, 57 pharmacists accomplished the two questionnaires. HIV knowledge was greater posteducation compared with pre-education (mean correct score, 83.7 percent vs 56.5 percent; p<0.001). Likewise, the mean self-rated confidence of participants in managing medications of people living with HIV was higher posteducation versus pre-education (73.3 percent vs 33.9 percent; p<0.001).

“Future studies should assess the sustained impact of educational materials on pharmacist knowledge and confidence and investigate translation into improved outcomes for people living with HIV,” the researchers said.

“Without specific pharmaceutical knowledge in specialist areas such as HIV management, pharmacists may lack the ability and confidence to provide optimal pharmaceutical care and optimization of outcomes,” they noted.