Table 1 Pharmacists perspectives about challenges and barriers related to pharmaceutical care services in developing countries

Yu Fang et al., 2011 [23]

China

Community

Questionnaire based survey

Pharmacists

To explore the perceptions of community pharmacists towards the concept of pharmaceutical care, and barriers to implementation of pharmaceutical care in China

Lack of external conditions for developing or providing pharmaceutical care, lack of time and skills, absence of information and economic incentive, and lack of full support from other health professionals.

Hashmi et al., 2017 [24]

Pakistan

Community

Semi-structured interview - qualitative

Pharmacists

To explore knowledge, perception and attitude of community pharmacists about extended pharmaceutical services in the city of Lahore, Pakistan

Lack of personal knowledge, poor public awareness, inadequate physician-pharmacist collaboration and deprived salary structures

Kho et al., 2017 [26]

Malaysia

Community

Semi-structured interview - qualitative

Pharmacists

To obtain in-depth information on the provision of professional pharmacy services by community pharmacies in Sarawak, Malaysia

Lack of time, personnel and physical space constrained services provision, cultural issues, lack of committed customers, stock availability and price issues

Sancar et al., 2013 [25]

Turkey

Community

Questionnaire based survey

Pharmacists

To assess Turkish community pharmacists’ points of view about pharmaceutical care practice in Turkey

Lack of knowledge of drugs and disease states, lack of technical knowledge of how to provide pharmaceutical care practice, lack of communication with physicians and stationary workload

Bilal et al., 2017 [27]

Ethiopia

Hospital

Cross-sectional survey

Pharmacists

To assess the status, challenges and way forward of clinical pharmacy services in Ethiopia

Shortage of staff, lack of awareness, lack of support from management, hospital setup, incentives, and gaps in the curriculum

Salim et al., 2016 [28]

Sudan

Hospital

Exploratory corss-sectional study

Pharmacists

To explore the self-perception of clinical pharmacists of their impact on healthcare in Khartoum State, Sudan

Shortage of pharmacy staff, lack of support from health authorities, lack of training and educational program, lack of job descriptions, lack of specific area in patient files for clinical pharmacist intervention, and low salaries

AbuRuzet al., 2012 [30]

Jordan

Community

Questionnaire based survey

Pharmacists

To study about the role of community pharmacists in Jordan

Lack of pharmaceutical care training, lack of access to medical files, lack of space, physicians’ acceptance, communication with physicians and lack of local data

El Hajj et al., 2016 [32]

Qatar

All areas

Cross-sectional survey

Pharmacists

To examine the extent of pharmaceutical care practice and the barriers to pharmaceutical care provision as perceived by Qatar pharmacists

Inadequate training in pharmaceutical care, lack of documentation skills, lack of pharmaceutical care role models, insufficient opportunity for interaction with other health care providers, inconvenient access to patient medical records, insufficient staff and lack of privacy, time, space

Katoue et al., 2014 [31]

Kuwait

Hospital

Cross-sectional survey

Pharmacists

To investigate hospital pharmacists’ attitudes towards pharmaceutical care, and the barriers to its implementation in Kuwait

Lack of private counselling areas, organizational obstacles, inadequate staff, lack of pharmacist time and adequate technology

Farina et al., 2009 [29]

Brazil

Community

Questionnaire based survey

Pharmacists

To learn about the professional practice of the pharmacists who work in pharmacies and their knowledge and perceptions about pharmaceutical care

Lack of time, of support from the pharmacy owner, and patient’s disinterest