Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude and Behaviour Related to Chronopharmacology among Doctors in a Tertiary Care Hospital
Authors/Creators
- 1. 3rd Year Postgraduate, Department of Pharmacology, Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital, Chennai
- 2. Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital, Chennai
- 3. Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Government Medical College, Siddipet
- 4. 2nd Year Post graduate, Department of Pharmacology, Government Medical College, Siddipet
Description
Background: Chronopharmacology is a branch of medicine that investigates the relationship between biological cycles and medication effectiveness. It is underappreciated, underrepresented, and underutilised in drug research, regulatory affairs, and clinical practice. Improving medical personnel’s grasp of chronotherapeutic principles can encourage reasonable medication use, prevent overexposure, and reduce the incidence of adverse drug reactions. The purpose of this study was to assess doctors knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours regarding chronopharmacology in a tertiary care hospital. Methods: 196 doctors participated in a cross-sectional, descriptive study with a pretested and validated questionnaire. The questionnaire measured knowledge of individual drugs and their optimal timing, attitudes towards chronotherapy, and self-reported practices for medication timing and patient counselling. Results: Most doctors correctly recognised the optimal timing for some prescriptions (e.g., nifedipine for hypertension in the morning, statins at night), but considerable gaps occurred for others (e.g., H2 blockers for ulcers before dinner, bronchodilators for asthma in the evening). Doctors were largely favourable about chronotherapy, believing it may lessen bad medication effects and improve efficacy. They also advocated for incorporating chronotherapy into patient counselling and including chronotherapeutic information in pharmacological reference materials. Most doctors include precise medication timing in prescriptions and coach patients on timing in their practice. Only a quarter of trainees got formal chronopharmacology coursework. This study demonstrates the potential benefits of chronotherapy and clinicians’ positive opinions towards its use. However, it also indicates a major information gap regarding the best scheduling for various drugs. Integrating chronopharmacology information into medical curricula and updating pharmacological references could help to close this gap. Additional research is required to determine the cost-effectiveness of chronotherapy programmes. Limitations: The study used self-reported data and had a small sample size. More research is needed to see whether this is applicable in other healthcare settings. Conclusion: Doctors have positive attitudes towards chronotherapy, but lack thorough understanding. Addressing this knowledge gap through focused education will help to optimise pharmaceutical regimens and possibly enhance patient outcomes.
Abstract (English)
Background: Chronopharmacology is a branch of medicine that investigates the relationship between biological cycles and medication effectiveness. It is underappreciated, underrepresented, and underutilised in drug research, regulatory affairs, and clinical practice. Improving medical personnel’s grasp of chronotherapeutic principles can encourage reasonable medication use, prevent overexposure, and reduce the incidence of adverse drug reactions. The purpose of this study was to assess doctors knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours regarding chronopharmacology in a tertiary care hospital. Methods: 196 doctors participated in a cross-sectional, descriptive study with a pretested and validated questionnaire. The questionnaire measured knowledge of individual drugs and their optimal timing, attitudes towards chronotherapy, and self-reported practices for medication timing and patient counselling. Results: Most doctors correctly recognised the optimal timing for some prescriptions (e.g., nifedipine for hypertension in the morning, statins at night), but considerable gaps occurred for others (e.g., H2 blockers for ulcers before dinner, bronchodilators for asthma in the evening). Doctors were largely favourable about chronotherapy, believing it may lessen bad medication effects and improve efficacy. They also advocated for incorporating chronotherapy into patient counselling and including chronotherapeutic information in pharmacological reference materials. Most doctors include precise medication timing in prescriptions and coach patients on timing in their practice. Only a quarter of trainees got formal chronopharmacology coursework. This study demonstrates the potential benefits of chronotherapy and clinicians’ positive opinions towards its use. However, it also indicates a major information gap regarding the best scheduling for various drugs. Integrating chronopharmacology information into medical curricula and updating pharmacological references could help to close this gap. Additional research is required to determine the cost-effectiveness of chronotherapy programmes. Limitations: The study used self-reported data and had a small sample size. More research is needed to see whether this is applicable in other healthcare settings. Conclusion: Doctors have positive attitudes towards chronotherapy, but lack thorough understanding. Addressing this knowledge gap through focused education will help to optimise pharmaceutical regimens and possibly enhance patient outcomes.
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IJTPR,Vol14,Issue7,Article27.pdf
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Additional details
Dates
- Accepted
-
2024-06-26
Software
References
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