JOSHUA IDIAKE

Study background: Drug therapy problem is one of the public health problems worldwide(Nivya et al., 2015). Drug therapy problems are classified into seven classes (Cipolle et al., 2012; Tomechko et al., 1995 ). Drug therapy problems can occur at any step of the treatment
process (Dahal et al., 2013). Pharmaceutical outcomes can be slowed by a drug therapy problem (Oparah et al., 2020). The contribution offered by pharmaceutical care practitioners is shown by the accurate identification of drug therapy difficulties (Cipolle et al., 1998). Community pharmacists are also pharmaceutical care providers. Objective: To assess the rate at which community pharmacists encounter DTPs, and action staken to resolve them. Method: The study was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in 74 selected community pharmacies within Benin City, Nigeria. Data was collected using a standardized questionnaire to assess the nature and degree of DTPs encountered and steps taken to resolve them. A convenient sampling technique was used for the study. The data was organised and analysed with Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) for Windows version 16.0.1. Result: All the classes of drug therapy problems were encountered by community pharmacists in Benin City. The rate at which these drug therapy were encountered varied with unnecessary drug therapy (88.0%, n=66) and non-compliance (85.3%, n=64) beingthe most encountered and dosage too high (66.3%, n=49) and dosage too low(53.3%, n=49)being the least. Other forms of encountered drug therapy problems included need for additional therapy (77.3%, n=58), wrong drug (74.7%, n=56), and adverse drug reaction(73.3%, n=55). All the pharmacists indicated that they provided a form of intervention following the detection of drug therapy problems. Among the various means to resolve encountered drug therapy problems, 82.2% (n=62) preferred to refer the patient backto the prescriber, 74.7% (n=56) adjusted the prescription, 65.3% (n=49) contacted the prescriber and only 4.0% (n=3) dispensed as prescribed. This data indicated good pharmaceutical care practice in drug therapy problems intervention by community pharmacists in Benin City, Nigeria. Conclusion: The finding from this study highlights the high prevalence drug therapy problems encountered by community pharmacists in Benin City, Nigeria. This study reinforces the active involvements of community pharmacists to resolve encountereddrugtherapy problems. Keywords: Drug therapy problems (DTPs), Community pharmacists, Pharmaceutical care, Pharmaceutical outcomes, Intervention, pharmaceutical care intervention.

Background: Herbal medicine has long been a cornerstone of healthcare, offering a range of therapeutic effects derived from natural sources. Despite advancements in conventional treatments, herbal therapies remain popular, especially among adults. Objectives: The broad objectives of the study are usage, challenges, attitudes, knowledge,
and willingness toward the use of herbal medicine among adults in Uhunmwonde Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Uhunmwonde Local Government
Area (LGA) of Edo State, Nigeria. The study population comprised adults aged 18 years and above who have used, are currently using, or have any relevant knowledge of herbal medicine. Data was collected using a questionnaire that was designed based on the requirement and literature review. The questionnaire was divided into sections covering socio-socio-demographics, gathering information on participants’ age, gender, education,

occupation, religion, and ethnicity to provide a detailed profile. Statistical analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 21.0 software. Results: Overall, 280 participants were enrolled. Most of the respondents (54, 19.3%) were aged 60-69 years, with a nearly balanced gender distribution (42.2% male, 57.9% female). Herbal medicine use was prevalent among respondents, with 76.1% having used it and 47.5% currently using it. However, 26.1% faced challenges in finding reliable information, and 17.5% struggled with determining the correct dosage. Traditional healers were the
most common source (103/280), followed by healthcare professionals (46/280) and books/magazines (41/280). Males used self-prepared remedies more than females
(p=0.009), while females preferred herbal vendors. Higher education levels were associated with increased use of pharmacies, while those with no formal education relied
on traditional healers (p=0.000). Conclusion: The study highlights the usage, challenges, attitudes, knowledge, and
willingness toward herbal medicine among adult patients. Findings indicate that while many older adults in Uhunmwonde Local Government Area use herbal medicines, barriers such as accessibility, safety concerns, and lack of proper guidance hinder their optimal use.
Keywords: Herbal medicines, Adults, Challenges and barriers, Attitudes, Knowledge.