Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Community Pharmacists and Pharmacy Students Regarding Drug–Food Interactions: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study

Abstract

Food-drug interactions (FDIs) represent a frequently overlooked yet clinically significant problem in pharmacotherapy, with community pharmacists occupying a key position in preventing them through patient counselling. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and self-reported practices regarding FDIs and drug–dietary supplement interactions among community pharmacists and fifth-year pharmacy students in Türkiye. This cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted among community pharmacists registered with the Istanbul Chamber of Pharmacists and fifth-year students at a pharmacy faculty in Istanbul. Data were collected via an online questionnaire developed through a literature review and expert opinion. Chi-square, Fisher's exact test, Student's t-test, and Mann-Whitney U test were used for statistical analysis. The study included a total of 197 participants, comprising 103 community pharmacists and 94 fifth-year students. The highest correct answer rate on the knowledge test was observed for warfarin-garlic interaction (83.0% in students; 72.8% in pharmacists), while the lowest rate was observed for azithromycin-alcohol interaction (6.4% in students; 10.7% in pharmacists). The vast majority of participants believed that drug-food and drug-supplement interactions were clinically significant; however, the highest percentage indicated that participants chose the "sometimes" option in their counselling practices. This suggests that participants did not consistently apply their counselling behaviours. As one of the most accessible points of contact within the healthcare system, pharmacists hold a pivotal position in preventing avoidable FDIs. These findings underscore the need to embed structured interaction counselling into routine pharmacy practice and to develop targeted educational interventions to address the gaps identified.