Improving Diabetes Knowledge of Pharmacy Professionals in Cambodia and Vietnam through Continued Professional development

Background: Pharmacies are a critical source of healthcare advice as well as medication for under-served communities in low and middle-income countries, including those with or at risk of diabetes; however, data on pharmacists’ diabetes knowledge and practices are limited.

Aim: To leverage a digital platform to assess and improve diabetes and blood glucose monitoring (BGM) knowledge and practices among pharmacy professionals in Cambodia ( KH) and Vietnam          (VNM).

Method: An online survey was distributed to pharmacy professionals in KH and VNM  who were registered on the SwipeRx platform (a digital network of pharmacy professionals in Southeast Asia). Eligible participants were engaged in dispensing and/or purchasing medicines and stocking ≥1 BGM product. An accredited continuous professional development (CPD) module was developed based on survey results & made available to pharmacy professionals and students on SwipeRx. Users were required to correctly answer ≥60% (KH) or ≥70% (VNM) of post-CPD assessment questions to receive accreditation credits.

Results: In total, 386 and 375 pharmacy professionals in KH and VNM completed the SwipeRx diabetes survey. Seventy-four per cent of respondents in KH (74%) and 49% of respondents in VNM described themselves as confident in providing BGM advice to clients; however, only 19% and 14% were aware that clients taking multiple daily doses of insulin should check blood glucose (BG) levels several times a day. In KH and VNM, respectively, 1,137 and 399 professionals/students completed the diabetes CPD, of whom 1,124/99% and 376/94% passed the post-CPD assessment. Post-education knowledge levels improved substantially in 10 of 14 learning areas in KH and 6 of 10 in VNM, including those related to the timing of BG level measurements and recommended BGM practices . The results were obtained in a short period of time (9 weeks) despite taking place during the pandemic.