Article Sidebar
Published:
Apr 5, 2017Keywords:
Article Details
Submission of a manuscript to this journal is a representation that the manuscript has not been published previously and is not under consideration for publication elsewhere.
All authors named in each manuscript would be required to sign a form (to be supplied by the Editor) so that they may retain their copyright in the article but to assign to us (the Publishers) and its licensees in perpetuity, in all forms, formats and media (whether known or created in the future) to (i) publish, reproduce, distribute, display and store the contribution, (ii) translate the contribution into other languages, create adaptations, reprints, include within collections and create summaries, extracts and/or abstracts of the contribution, (iii) create any other derivative works(s) based on the contribution, (iv) to exploit all subsidiary rights in the contribution, (v) the inclusion of electronic links from the contribution to third party material where-ever it may be located, and (vi) license any thrid party to do any or all of the above.
Main Article Content
Prescribing practices for pediatric out-patients: A case study of two teaching hospitals in Nigeria
Abstract
Purpose: The objective of this study was to evaluate drug utilization pattern in the pediatric departments of two tertiary health facilities in Nigeria using WHO core prescribing indicators.
Methods: Using a cross-sectional retrospective study approach, prescriptions randomly selected for a period of 6 months from the pediatric out-patient departments of two tertiary hospitals: Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH), Awka and Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi in South- Eastern Nigeria were assessed. Prescribing indicators as listed by WHO were calculated and analyzed using SPSS version 20.
Results: A total of 750 prescriptions (450 from NAUTH and 300 from COOUTH) containing 2,739 drugs were assessed. The mean number of drugs prescribed per encounter (mean ± SD) at NAUTH was 3.5 ± 0.9 and 3.8 ± 1.1 in COOUTH. The percentage of antibiotics prescribed per encounter in COOUTH and NAUTH were 72.3 and 77.1 %, respectively, whereas drugs prescribed by generic names were 61.7 and 64.2 %, respectively. Injections prescribed per encounter were above acceptable range, and percentages of drugs prescribed from essential medicine lists in the two hospitals were > 85 %.
Conclusion: This study identified irrational use of antibiotics, polypharmacy, non-adherence to generic prescribing and high use of injections in both hospitals. The need for improvement in prescription patterns is underscored.
Keywords: Prescription pattern, Pediatric outpatients, WHO indicators, Irrational use, Antibiotics, Polypharmacy
