Awareness of Beers criteria and potentially inappropriate medications among physicians and pharmacists in Palestine

Background The American Geriatric Society Beers criteria comprise a screening tool to identify potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) and guide healthcare providers (HCPs) in prescribing, dispensing, and recommending appropriate medications. The extent of awareness about PIMs and geriatric medicine among HCPs needs to be assessed. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the level of awareness regarding PIMs and Beers criteria among HCPs in Palestine. Method This was a cross-sectional study conducted using a self-administered 20-item questionnaire involving physicians and pharmacists in Palestine. Ten clinical vignettes presenting different medical statuses in the elderly necessitating appropriate prescription advice were used to assess awareness on geriatric medication. Results A total of 306 participants, including 116 physicians and 190 pharmacists, participated in the study. 34.0% of the participants had poor awareness, 30.1% had average and 23.2% participants had good awareness about PIMs in the elderly. Only a small percentage of participants had very poor or very good awareness (6.9% vs. 5.9%, respectively) with no difference in the results in terms of profession. There was a significant relationship between the familiarity with Beers criteria and the level of awareness. Finally, participants perceived drug-drug interactions as a major barrier to appropriate prescribing. Conclusion The majority of participating HCPs had a low level of awareness, and a close proportion had moderate awareness on PIMs and Beers criteria. Consequently, there is a need to increase HCP's awareness of medication use in the elderly. Continued education and training in geriatric pharmacotherapy may be valuable.