Quality of prescriptions received by patients with hypertension attending a Secondary Health Facility in Ibadan, Oyo State

Abstract

Background: High-quality prescription (HQP) which is a key player in optimal blood pressure control reflects good prescribing process  and thus quality health care.

Aims: To determine quality of prescription and its correlates in patients with hypertension attending a  secondary health facility in Ibadan, Nigeria

Methodology: A cross-sectional hospital-based study among 347 known hypertensive patients  attending the Medical Outpatient clinic of Jericho Specialist hospital, Ibadan. Quality of prescription was determined using prescription quality index (PQI) tool and it was categorized into high, mediumand low-quality prescriptions. The respondents were  recruited using a simple random sampling technique (computer generated random number). Data was analyzed using SPSS version  2020. Mean, standard deviation, Chi-square and Spearman correlation were used for data analysis and level of significant was set at  <0.05.

Results: The mean (PQI) was 31.4±5.6; less than half of the patients 163 (47.3%) had low PQI, while medium and high PQI was  found in 41(11.8%) and 143 (41.2%) patients respectively. There was a significant difference in the quality of prescriptions between male  and female hypertensive patients (X²=15.85, pvalue<0.0001). Two-thirds of the patients, 229(66.0%) experienced associated health  problems and this was significantly inversely correlated with prescription quality (r=-0.33, p<0.001).

Conclusion: The study revealed  marginally low quality of prescription, statistically significant poor-quality prescription among the male patients and higher number of  comorbidities significantly correlated negatively with prescribing quality. Thus, to comply with high quality prescriptions, combined medications among hypertensive patients with comorbidities should be used cautiously.