Survey implementation
Following recruitment, patients were asked by practiced researchers (n=2) to answer the survey items found in the survey as the items were read out by the researchers. A female pharmacist approached female patients, and a male pharmacist approached male patients. Both researchers practiced together well to unify the way they approached and interviewed the patients. Patients were given the time needed to complete the survey (10 to 15 minutes). Patients who completed the survey observed the researcher as she/he inserted it in a sealed envelope. Every envelope was given a number for participant privacy.
Data were coded and all completed surveys were kept in a locked cabinet that was only accessed by the researcher. Following data entry, data were kept in a computer with a password protection known only by the researcher.
Following survey completion, data verification was done by the researcher including age, medical condition/s, date of treatment commencement, name of medication/s, dosage, therapeutic regimen and reason of use from the computerized hospital data.