Author(s)

Steward Mudenda^1*, Ruth Lubinda¹, Maisa Kasanga², Zanga Musakuzi³, Shafiq Mohamed⁴, Webrod Mufwambi¹

¹Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.
²Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University Teaching Hospitals, Lusaka, Zambia.
³Medsearch Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.
⁴York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, York, UK.

Introduction: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a field of computer science that mimics human intelligence in learning and problem-solving processes. There is a paucity of information regarding students’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding AI. This study assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of pharmacy students regarding AI. Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-study was conducted among 262 pharmacy students at the University of Zambia using a structured questionnaire from August 2024 to September 2024. Data collected were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 23.0. The statistical significance was set at a 95% confidence level (p-value less than 0.05). Results: Of the 262 participants, 237 (90.4%) were aged between 20 and 30 years, 253 (96.6%) were familiar with the concept of AI, and 257 (98.1%) were aware of ChatGPT. Overall, 186 (71.3%) had inadequate knowledge, 186 (71.3%) had negative attitudes, and 135 (51.7%) had suboptimal practices towards AI. The results show a lower attitude compared to knowledge and practice levels. Inadequate knowledge and attitude were associated with gender (X² = 11.612, p = 0.001 for knowledge level) and (X² = 1.812, p = 0.003 for attitude level). Additionally, inadequate practice showed significant associations with years of study (X² = 8.991, p = 0.028 for practice level) and residence (X² = 5.593, p = 0.014 for practice level). Conclusion: The present study found that most pharmacy students had inadequate knowledge, attitudes, and practices concerning AI. As a result, there is a need to increase awareness about AI among healthcare students and its usefulness in the delivery of healthcare services. The study’s outcomes offer valuable insights for educating pharmacy students about AI and its applications within the pharmaceutical industry and the healthcare system. Therefore, we recommend that AI be incorporated into the curricula for the training of pharmacy students and continuous professional development programs for pharmacy personnel.

Artificial Intelligence, ChatGPT, Technology, Pharmacy Students, Zambia

Mudenda, S. , Lubinda, R. , Kasanga, M. , Musakuzi, Z. , Mohamed, S. and Mufwambi, W. (2024) Artificial Intelligence: A Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Survey among Pharmacy Students at the University of Zambia. Creative Education, 15, 2582-2596. doi: 10.4236/ce.2024.1512157.