Abstract

Introduction: Diabetic retinopathy (DR), also called Diabetic Eye Disease (DED), is one of the most common complications of diabetes and a primary cause of vision loss in middle-aged and elderly adults. Anti-vascular endothelial Growth Hormone (Anti-VEGF) medication is appropriate for diabetic macular oedema with vision loss. However, laser photocoagulation avoids severe vision loss in eyes with proliferative DR. These efforts together with increased public knowledge and access to frequent DR screening with retinal imaging, as well as pharmacists' active participation in patient counselling and drug therapy monitoring in early disease states, will lead to better outcomes and avert blindness in DR patients.
Objectives: This study set out to evaluate pharmacists’ knowledge of DR, as well as their ability to identify patients at risk of developing DR.

Methods: A cross-sectional study that enrolled 30 Pharmacists working at the Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria. Structured questionnaires were used to obtain data which covered a period of two months from July to August 2023. Data was analysed using simple percentages and charts. Chi-square was used to test the relationship between variables at a 5% confidence interval. (p=0.05). Good knowledge was set at the 75th percentile (Q3) or more.

Results: According to the findings, 16 out of 30 participants had knowledge scores below 75 per cent implying poor knowledge of DR.

Conclusion: A team approach to patient management is the most effective form of health care delivery. It would be extremely beneficial for Pharmacists as professionals to upgrade their knowledge of this chronic diabetic complication to provide managed care with an emphasis on lowering problems related to diabetes pharmacotherapy and improving the lives of the people.

Keywords: Pharmacists, Knowledge, Diabetic Retinopathy, Clinical Setting, Nigeria.