Knowledge of pharmacists regarding ritalin and ADHD and their attitude towards the use of ritalin to treat ADHD.

Objective: To survey the knowledge and attitude of pharmacists towards Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and the drug ritalin.

Method: A self-reported questionnaire on knowledge and attitude towards ADHD and ritalin was completed by pharmacists.

Results: About 40% of respondents agreed that ADHD is due to biological and genetic vulnerabilities and causation. A total of 63% reported that the cause is a chaotic and dysfunctional family and 91% of the respondents believed that ADHD children misbehave primarily because they refuse to follow rules and complete assignments. About 85.5% reported that ritalin is used for enhancement of concentration and most of them (80%) recommended ritalin as the best medication. However, about 70% reported that they are not in favor of taking ritalin for ADHD and it should not be recommended for ADHD except in very severe cases.

Conclusion: Although the subjects have a sound knowledge of ADHD, some gaps exist and there is not a favorable attitude toward treatment with ritalin. It seems that these pharmacists are not better informed than teachers in regard to some of ADHD characteristics. There is a gap between knowledge and attitude toward ritalin. Only a few respondents had the opportunity of learning about ADHD. The results could be used in the revision of university educational curricula for students of pharmacology and also for planning educational courses for continuous medical education programs. They should be provided with more up-to-date knowledge.