Medication management by visually impaired persons in the UAE: Self-Determination practice and law demands
Mahmoud I. M. Fayyad1★, Maha M Sabar-Ayad2, Abduelmula R. Abduelkarem3★ Corresponding author
- 1Department of Private Law, College of Law, University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 27272, Sharjah, UAE.
- 2Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, UAE.
- 3Pharmacy Practice and Pharmacoetherapeutics Department, College of Pharmacy, University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 27272, Sharjah, UAE.
CORRESPONDENCE
Mahmoud I. M. Fayyad
Department of Private Law, College of Law, University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 27272, Sharjah, UAE.
Received: 26-04-2024; Accepted: 11-07-2024.
Volume 23, Issue 1 · pp. 3028 · PUBLISHED 22 January 2025 · DOI: 10.18549/PharmPract.2025.1.3028
ABSTRACT
Background: People with visual impairment are highly prone to medication errors. Effective policies should support self-determination to provide appropriate means for this party to access medical information. Following the recommendations of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, The UAE adopted a new policy to support the visually impaired. This study determined the challenges visually impaired individuals face, the likelihood of medication administration errors, and the methods used to cope with those challenges. It also required the relevant parties to provide visually impaired persons with medicinal information consistent with international and national law demands. A survey was administered to 94 visually impaired individuals using an interviewer-guided questionnaire. Also, a random sample of 75 frequently used medications was selected to check if Braille labels and the QR codes were available in the medications' boxes. The research demonstrated that most visually impaired individuals do not receive adequate assistance with medication usage and have little knowledge of managing medications. As a result, there is an expected increase in medication errors or mismanagement in those individuals, despite the current advances in policy development in the UAE regarding visually impaired support. Therefore, developing effective strategies and policies is vital to assist this population when using medications.
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Fayyad, M. I. M., Sabar-Ayad, M. M., & Abduelkarem, A. R. (2025). Medication management by visually impaired persons in the UAE: Self-Determination practice and law demands. Pharmacy Practice, 23(1), 3028. https://doi.org/10.18549/PharmPract.2025.1.3028