Assessment of knowledge of drug-food interactions among healthcare professionals in public sector hospitals in eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal

Background Foods and the nutrients they contain can interact with drugs and thereby interfere with their therapeutic safety and efficacy. Adequate knowledge of healthcare professionals (HCPs) about drug-food interactions can help in preventing potential drug-food interactions among patients. This study aimed to assess the knowledge of HCPs about common drug-food interactions. Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out among 459 HCPs from three public hospitals in eThekwini district, KwaZulu-Natal between November 2018, and January 2019. Informed consent was obtained from the HCPs, and a structured questionnaire was thereafter administered. Data were analysed using SPSS® version 25. Factors associated with knowledge of the HCPs were determined using logistic regression analysis. Results Of the 459 participants, 22.2% (n = 102) were doctors, 11.3% (n = 52) pharmacists, 63.8% (n = 293) nurses and 2.6% (n = 12) dietitians. Most of the HCPs were females 79.7% (n = 366), the mean age of the HCPs was 38.61±0.48. The knowledge score of the HCPs was 22.66±0.25 out of an overall score of 46. The HCPs poorly identified food types that interact with drugs and correct administration time of drugs relative to meals. Being a pharmacist (OR: 14.212, CI: 4.941–40.879, p<0.001), doctor (OR: 5.223, CI: 2.146–12.711, p<0.001), or a dietitian (OR: 5.476, CI: 1.103–27.191, p = 0.038) was associated with higher knowledge of drug-food interactions. Conclusion The HCPs in this survey had low drug-food interaction knowledge. These findings suggest the need for additional training and educational courses for the HCPs on drug-food interactions.

[1]  Z. Boual,et al.  Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research , 2022, Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research.

[2]  Asmaa Radwan,et al.  Evaluation of community pharmacists’ knowledge and awareness of food–drug interactions in Palestine , 2018, International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy.

[3]  Z. Zuo,et al.  A Review of Food–Drug Interactions on Oral Drug Absorption , 2017, Drugs.

[4]  A. Zhernakova,et al.  Public health relevance of drug–nutrition interactions , 2017, European Journal of Nutrition.

[5]  Jong Hwan Choi,et al.  Food and Drug Interactions , 2017, Journal of lifestyle medicine.

[6]  Sumardi,et al.  Impact of food on the pharmacokinetics of first-line anti-TB drugs in treatment-naive TB patients: a randomized cross-over trial. , 2016, The Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy.

[7]  L. Chan,et al.  Drug-nutrient interactions. , 2013, JPEN. Journal of parenteral and enteral nutrition.

[8]  R. Heuberger.  Polypharmacy and Food–Drug Interactions Among Older Persons: A Review , 2012, Journal of nutrition in gerontology and geriatrics.

[9]  Leslie Z Benet,et al.  Predicting drug disposition, absorption/elimination/transporter interplay and the role of food on drug absorption. , 2008, Advanced drug delivery reviews.

[10]  D. Genser,et al.  Food and Drug Interaction: Consequences for the Nutrition/Health Status , 2008, Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism.

[11]  Emilio Vargas,et al.  Food–drug interactions in the summary of product characteristics of proprietary medicinal products , 2005, European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.

[12]  K. Swartz,et al.  The Role of Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors in Current Psychiatric Practice , 2004, Journal of psychiatric practice.

[13]  J. Dwyer,et al.  Assessment of Healthcare Professionals’ Knowledge About Warfarin-Vitamin K Drug-Nutrient Interactions , 2000, Journal of the American College of Nutrition.

[14]  L. Pylkkänen,et al.  Timing of food intake has a marked effect on the bioavailability of clodronate. , 2000, Bone.

[15]  I. Harman-boehm,et al.  Evidence for a clinically important adverse effect of fiber-enriched diet on the bioavailability of levothyroxine in adult hypothyroid patients. , 1996, The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism.

[16]  J. Sobal,et al.  Family medicine residents' knowledge and attitudes about drug-nutrient interactions. , 1995, Journal of the American College of Nutrition.

[17]  J. Price,et al.  Hypertensive Interactions Between Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors and Foodstuffs , 1967, British Journal of Psychiatry.

[18]  Dr. Doaa Al-Najim,et al.  KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE ON COMMON FOOD AND DRUG INTERACTIONS AMONG PRIMARY HEALTH CARE PHYSICIANS IN DAMMAM, AL-KHOBAR, AND QATIF, KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA , 2019 .

[19]  S. Eslami,et al.  Survey of adherence to time standards to prevent food and drug interaction in the hospitalized patients , 2018 .

[20]  D. Ağagündüz,et al.  Role of food‑drug interactions in neurological and psychological diseases. , 2018, Acta neurobiologiae experimentalis.

[21]  Valerie Y H van Weperen,et al.  Review of case reports on hyperkalemia induced by dietary intake: not restricted to chronic kidney disease patients , 2018, European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

[22]  N. Enwerem.  Food-Drug Interactions: Implications for Nursing Practice , 2017 .

[23]  K. Gholipour,et al.  Nurses' pharmacology knowledge of food-drug interactions in Ayatollah Taleghani Hospital of Orumieh, Iran , 2016 .

[24]  Priscilla O. Okunji.  Knowledge, Attitudes, and Awareness of Food and Drug Interactions among Nurses with Different Levels of Experience , 2015 .

[25]  K. Dalhoff,et al.  Food-Drug Interactions , 2012, Drugs.

[26]  R. Basavaraj,et al.  Knowledge and awareness of food and drug interactions (FDI): a survey among health care professionals , 2012 .

[27]  Nutrición Hospitalaria,et al.  Dietary fiber and its interaction with drugs. , 2010, Nutricion hospitalaria.

[28]  M. Ismail.  Review Article DRUG-FOOD INTERACTIONS AND ROLE OF PHARMACIST , 2009 .

[29]  J. Boullata,et al.  A Perspective on Drug-Nutrient Interactions , 2004 .

[30]  D. Greenblatt,et al.  Assessing and managing drug-nutrient interactions. , 2002, Journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association.