https://doi.org/10.4081/jbr.2025.12742
Knowledge and awareness of Palestinian health care professionals towards probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics: a cross-sectional study from Palestine
Submitted: June 23, 2024
Accepted: January 18, 2025
Published: February 5, 2025
Accepted: January 18, 2025
Abstract Views: 4263
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All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
Authors
Probiotics are live microorganisms believed to confer health benefits when consumed appropriately. Prebiotics are non-digestible food components that promote health by encouraging the growth or activity of beneficial microorganisms. Synbiotics are a combination of probiotics and prebiotics. This study aimed to assess the knowledge and awareness of Palestinian healthcare professionals regarding probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics. A cross-sectional study was conducted across the West Bank using a structured questionnaire, and descriptive analysis was performed using SPSS. The results indicated that 68.5% of physicians and 83.4% of pharmacists were aware of probiotics, whereas only 37% of physicians and 48% of pharmacists had knowledge of prebiotics. Awareness of synbiotics was even lower, with only 20% of physicians and 26.6% of pharmacists reporting familiarity. These findings suggest that while there is a reasonable level of knowledge about probiotics, awareness of prebiotics and synbiotics is significantly lacking, which limits their use. Enhancing knowledge of these products could be facilitated through workshops, ongoing education, and the involvement of medical representatives.
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How to Cite
Zaid, A. N., Ali, I., Jaradat, N., Al Ramahi, R., Hmeidat, R., Nofal, S., Diab, R., Nasser, M., Rabaya, H., Tamimi, M., & Shawahni, R. (2025). Knowledge and awareness of Palestinian health care professionals towards probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics: a cross-sectional study from Palestine. Journal of Biological Research - Bollettino Della Società Italiana Di Biologia Sperimentale. https://doi.org/10.4081/jbr.2025.12742
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