Table 3.
General beliefs towards CAM products, their market and availability of resources among a national sample of community pharmacists in Lebanon (n=310)
| n(%) | |||||
| Strongly agree | Agree | Neutral | Disagree | Strongly disagree | |
| General beliefs toward CAM products | |||||
| CAM products are effective | 63 (20.3) | 135 (43.5) | 81 (26.1) | 22 (7.1) | 9 (2.9) |
| CAM products should be sold only in a pharmacies | 191 (61.6) | 58 (18.7) | 21 (6.8) | 30 (9.7) | 10 (3.2) |
| The use of CAM products should not be limited to patients who have failed conventional medicine therapy | 77 (24.8) | 119 (38.4) | 50 (16.1) | 41 (13.2) | 23 (7.4) |
| CAM products have less side effect than conventional medicines | 76 (24.4) | 87 (28.1) | 54 (17.4) | 66 (21.3) | 27 (8.7) |
| Providing information about CAM products is a pharmacist’s professional responsibility | 170 (54.8) | 83 (26.8) | 30 (9.7) | 21 (6.8) | 6 (1.9) |
| Beliefs towards CAM products available in the Lebanese market | |||||
| CAM products available in the Lebanese market are well standardised and of good quality | 25 (8.1) | 55 (17.7) | 100 (32.3) | 80 (25.8) | 50 (16.1) |
| The market for CAM products in Lebanon is well regulated | 15 (4.8) | 35 (11.3) | 63 (20.3) | 98 (31.6) | 99 (31.9) |
| Media plays a positive role in educating consumers about safe use of CAM products available in the Lebanese market | 35 (11.3) | 39 (12.6) | 63 (20.3) | 74 (23.9) | 99 (31.9) |
| Availability of resources | |||||
| Information resources on CAM products are available and easily accessible to the pharmacists | 87 (28.1) | 85 (27.4) | 56 (18.1) | 59 (19.0) | 23 (7.4) |
| Continuous education on CAM products should be mandatory for pharmacists | 102 (32.9) | 90 (29.0) | 61 (19.7) | 40 (12.9) | 17 (5.5) |