Dr. Muna Arif Al Juma (Lecturer – Pharmacy Department) presented a guest lecture in Pharmacy Department of Sultan Qaboos University Hospital on the topic “Self-care in Oman: Public and Healthcare Professional Perspectives”. The guest lecture was based on the study carried out by Dr. Muna as part of her doctoral work.

It is the first study to look at self-care in Oman and its place in Omani health system, for the aim of improving pharmacy profession role in patient care. It is a qualitative study used semi-structured interview guide. Data were collected using semi-structured face-to-face interviews. The data was analyzed thematically using the principles of constructivist grounded theory. Three main themes were identified that influenced the self-care of minor ailments in the Omani health system: individual knowledge, beliefs and attitudes; communication and relationships; and the healthcare system. This research study represents the first holistic understanding of the factors that influence self-care and management of minor ailments in Oman, including the opportunities and challenges for the pharmacy profession in providing patient care. This conceptual model could help in adapting a comprehensive approach to effectively address factors related to optimizing the self-care of minor ailments and improve utilization of healthcare services. The three main themes influencing self-care in Oman have highlighted a number of important implications for future practice and research to improve primary healthcare provision and the role of pharmacy profession in patient care.