| Sumario: | Introduction: The Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, are recognized as two of the largest mass religious gatherings worldwide. Due to the vast number of participants, these pilgrimages pose significant risks to pilgrims, including the transmission of communicable diseases and exposure to various environmental hazards. Community pharmacists (CPs) providing pretravel pharmacist consultations (PTPC) play a pivotal role in mitigating these risks and promoting the health and safety of prospective Hajj and Umrah pilgrims. Objective: This study aims to explore the practices and beliefs of CPs concerning PTPC for prospective Hajj and Umrah pilgrims. Methods: A semi-structured interview study was conducted with 24 CPs in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) was utilized to guide both the development of the interview protocol and the subsequent data analysis. Face-to-face interviews were conducted to explore CPs' practices and beliefs, particularly the barriers and facilitators associated with providing PTPC for prospective Hajj and Umrah pilgrims. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: The study identified seven distinct activities performed by CPs, with the provision of travel health education being the most commonly reported. Beliefs related to PTPC were categorized into fourteen domains of the TDF. The findings indicate that CPs are generally motivated to provide PTPC services for these pilgrims. However, they also reported significant knowledge gaps, particularly regarding Hajj and Umrah travel guidelines and health issues specific to the pilgrimage. Moreover, CPs encountered several challenges, including staff shortages, limited time, low confidence in handling regulatory issues and disease management, and a perceived lack of support from physicians. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that strengthening the provision of PTPC for prospective Hajj and Umrah pilgrims can be accomplished through several key strategies. These include enhancing education and training for CPs, improving access to relevant resources, fostering interprofessional collaboration, and implementing supportive policies to facilitate the delivery of these services.
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