HormonesMelatonin

Community pharmacists in Saudi Arabia frequently recommend OTC melatonin for insomnia but provide brief consultations, incomplete history taking, limited safety counseling, and rare non-pharmacological advice.

In a cross-sectional study using 251 simulated patient visits across Saudi Arabia, community pharmacists recommended OTC melatonin in 64.5% of cases, but consultations lasted only a median of 1.5 minutes. History taking was incomplete (e.g., sleep patterns inquired in 55.4%, triggers in 51%), safety information was provided in only 4.9% of visits, and non-pharmacological advice was given in just 9.6%.

Last updated: Jul 8, 2026•0 RCTs•📖 Read as article →

Evidence Score

Evidence Score32/100
Human RCT☆☆☆☆☆
Meta-analysis☆☆☆☆☆
Mechanism★★★★★
Safety★★★★☆
Confidencelow

Study Evidence

Study 1. Evaluating community pharmacists' practices in managing insomnia in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study using simulated patient visits.

observational

Algarni M, Alghamdi S, Barakat BM, Alshammari TM, Alzahrani A, Alzahrani A, Sumayli H, Al-Qahtani SA, Mantargi MJS · Frontiers in public health (2026)

Participants: N/A
Duration: cross-sectional (single visit per simulated patient)
Intervention: Simulated patient visits to community pharmacies for insomnia management
Outcome: Pharmacist behavior (history taking, consultation duration, recommendations, safety counseling, non-pharmacological advice)
Effect Size: N/A
Population: Community pharmacists in urban, suburban, and rural areas of Saudi Arabia (251 simulated visits)

Result:

PubMed: 42395279DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1792148

Mechanism Graph

Pharmacist encounters simulated patient with insomnia complaint
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Pharmacist conducts brief consultation (median 1.5 min)
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Pharmacist recommends OTC melatonin (64.5%)
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Limited history taking, safety counseling, and non-pharmacological advice observed

Limitations

  • ⚠Cross-sectional design limits causal inference
  • ⚠Simulated patient methodology may not fully capture real-world pharmacist behavior
  • ⚠Regional sample imbalance (rural only 7.2% of visits)

Frequently Asked Questions

What percentage of pharmacists recommended melatonin for insomnia?▼

64.5% of pharmacists recommended OTC melatonin.

How long did the average consultation last?▼

The median consultation duration was 1.5 minutes (interquartile range 1-2 minutes).

Did pharmacists provide safety information about insomnia treatments?▼

Safety information was provided in only 4.9% of visits.

What non-pharmacological advice was given?▼

Non-pharmacological advice was given in only 9.6% of visits, though specific types were not detailed in the abstract.

Products

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References

  1. 1.Algarni M, Alghamdi S, Barakat BM, Alshammari TM, Alzahrani A, Alzahrani A, Sumayli H, Al-Qahtani SA, Mantargi MJS. "Evaluating community pharmacists' practices in managing insomnia in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study using simulated patient visits.." Frontiers in public health, 2026. PMID: 42395279 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1792148
Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Evidence scores reflect the quality and quantity of available research, not clinical recommendations. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplement or intervention.