The role of pharmacists has transformed significantly because of changes in pharmacists' training and population health demands. Within this context, community pharmacists are recognized as important health personnel for the provision of extended health services. Similarly, in Malaysia, the need to transform community pharmacy practice has been discussed by all interested parties; however, the transition has been slow due in part to the nonexistence of a dispensing separation policy between pharmacists and medical doctors in private community practices. For decades, medical doctors in private community practices have had the right to prescribe and dispense, thus diluting the role of community pharmacists because of overlapping roles. This article explores dispensing separation in Malaysia and, by taking into account the needs of health professionals and health care consumers, suggests a mechanism for how dispensing separation practice can be implemented.
Diabetes is among leading public health concerns in Malaysia due to premature and preventable mortality involving macro and microvascular complications. Diabetes knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) are vital in diabetes management. The present study assessed the level of diabetes KAP among type 2 diabetes patients with associated and correlated factors through a self-administered questionnaire-based study on a convenience sample of 386 type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in Kuala Muda District, Kedah, Malaysia. Majority of the respondents possessed levels above the cut-off points for poor levels in knowledge (63.21%), attitude (62.69%), and practices (58.03%). Age, academic qualification, occupation, monthly income, current therapy type, comorbid diseases, and therapy preference were associated with KAP whereas the associations of disease duration, the best source of information about diabetes, and health status satisfaction were witnessed for attitude and practice. Academic qualification had strongest correlation for knowledge (r = 0.785), attitude (r = 0.725), and practice (r = 0.709). Knowledge level was significantly correlated with attitude level (r = 0.735), practice level (r = 0.786), income (r = 0.556), occupation (r = 0.358), age (r = 0.173), current therapy type (r = 0.133), and diabetes education exposure (r = 0.113). Attitude level had significant correlations with practice level (r = 0.679), income (r = 0.357), occupation (r = 0.348), health status satisfaction (r = 0.147), age (r = 0.145), and gender (r = 0.109). Practice level correlated significantly with income (r = 0.448), occupation (r = 0.317), age (r = 0.173), health status satisfaction (r = 0.167), and current therapy type (r = 0.118). All associations and correlations were significant at P