Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41615960›Full record

ArticlePloS one2026

Exploring patient satisfaction with community pharmacy services in the United Arab Emirates: Implications for quality improvement.

Zelal Kharaba, Karem H Alzoubi, Sayer Al-Azzam, Ahmad Al-Azayzih, Ahmad Y Abuhelwa, Feras Jirjees, Anan Jarab, Azza Ramadan, Shoroq M Altawalbeh, Dania Rahhal and 5 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Zelal KharabaDepartment of Pharmacy Practice and Pharmacotherapeutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8012-684X
Karem H AlzoubiDepartment of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, QU-Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2808-5099
Sayer Al-AzzamDepartment of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan.
Ahmad Al-AzayzihDepartment of Pharmacy Practice and Pharmacotherapeutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Ahmad Y AbuhelwaDepartment of Pharmacy Practice and Pharmacotherapeutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Feras JirjeesDepartment of Pharmacy Practice and Pharmacotherapeutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Anan JarabDepartment of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan.
Azza RamadanCollege of Pharmacy, Al Ain University, Abu-Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Shoroq M AltawalbehDepartment of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan.
Dania RahhalDepartment of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan.
Munazza AhmedDepartment of Pharmacy Practice and Pharmacotherapeutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5230-9593
Laila A IbrahimCollege of Pharmacy, Al Ain University, Abu-Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Mamoon A AldeyabDepartment of Pharmacy, School of Applied Sciences, University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield, United Kingdom.
Yassen AlfoteihCollege of Dentistry, City University Ajman, Ajman, United Arab Emirates.
Sawsan AbuhammadDepartment of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionPatient satisfaction is a critical metric for enhancing service quality, meeting regulatory standards, and validating patient-reported outcomes in healthcare. Community pharmacies play a vital role in healthcare delivery, yet there is limited research on patient satisfaction with these services in the UAE.

aimsThis study aims to identify key factors influencing patient satisfaction with pharmaceutical care services provided by community pharmacies in the UAE.

methodsA cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted from December 1st, 2023, to April 30th, 2024. A systematic intercept sampling method was used to ensure a representative sample of 505 patients from various regions of the UAE. Data were collected through structured questionnaires covering demographic details, pharmacy visit experiences, and satisfaction levels. Statistical analyses, including chi-square tests, t-tests, and binary logistic regression, were performed using SPSS 27.

resultsThe study found that most participants most frequently used chain pharmacies (62.38%) and were highly satisfied with factors like lighting (91.29%) and pharmacist attentiveness (83.96%). Key drivers of satisfaction included convenient locations, accessible designs, and communication-related factors.. However, challenges such as the lack of private counseling areas (59.01%), limited access to medical files (77.62%), and inadequate prescription areas for private conversations (53.29%) were highlighted. Satisfaction was significantly lower in the Northern Emirates compared to Abu Dhabi, while differences involving Al Ain did not reach statistical significance. Providing sufficient time for medication advice (OR: 16.21, p < 0.001) and ease of waiting times (OR: 4.29, p = 0.016) improved satisfaction.

conclusionThe findings underscore the importance of both environmental and interpersonal factors in shaping patient satisfaction with community pharmacies. Enhancing pharmacy accessibility, communication, and the quality of pharmacist-patient interactions can significantly improve patient experiences. Future research should further explore overall satisfaction and investigate targeted improvements in pharmacy practices across different regions and settings.

Indexed as

Community Pharmacy ServicesPatient SatisfactionQuality ImprovementAdultCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPharmaciesPharmacistsSurveys and QuestionnairesUnited Arab EmiratesYoung Adult

Identifiers

PMID41615960
PMCPMC12857972

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.