Table 3 Pharmacists’ knowledge about corticosteroids medications (n = 174)
Statement | Correct answer | Percentage of patients correctly answered n (%) |
|---|---|---|
Corticosteroids, often known as steroids, are anti-inflammatory medicine. | True | 152 (87.4) |
Corticosteroids are man-made hormones normally produced by the adrenal glands. | True | 137 (78.7) |
Corticosteroids are mainly used to induce inflammation and suppress the immune system. | False | 140 (80.5) |
Corticosteroids are used to treat various health conditions (e.g., asthma, eczema, COVID-19 etc.) | True | 126 (72.4) |
Prolonged steroid treatment even at low doses – particularly with steroid tablets – can cause problems in some people. | False | 159 (91.4) |
The used dose needs to be reduced slowly over few weeks or months before stopping corticosteroids if have been taking them long time. | True | 156 (89.7) |
Corticosteroids can cause weight gain | True | 167 (96.0) |
Corticosteroids can cause skin thinking that bruises easily | False | 142 (81.6) |
Corticosteroids can cause increased risk of infections | True | 137 (78.7) |
Corticosteroids can’t cause mood changes | False | 97 (55.7) |
Corticosteroids can cause high blood glucose | True | 108 (62.1) |
Knowledge score (out of 11), median (IQR) | 9.0 (3.0) | |