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Tusubira B, Mukisa LN, Okuuny V, Besigye I. Antibiotic prescription among children with common cold at a district hospital in Uganda. Afr J Prim Health Care Fam Med 2023; 15:e1-e7. [PMID: 37526556 PMCID: PMC10476461 DOI: 10.4102/phcfm.v15i1.4106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Most childhood infections are of viral origin making antibiotics unnecessary. They are, however, the most frequently prescribed drugs dispensed to children, resulting in inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions, which are one of the main drivers of antibiotic resistance. AIM The study aimed to determine the prevalence of antibiotic prescriptions and identify its associated factors among children below 5 years with common cold who attend the outpatient department in Tororo General Hospital. SETTING The study was carried out in Tororo General Hospital, Eastern Uganda. METHODS A cross-sectional survey using consecutive sampling was performed among children below 5 years with common cold attending the outpatient department. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered, structured questionnaire and analysed using STATA version 14.0. Prevalence of antibiotic prescriptions was calculated. Bivariate analysis using chi-square test and multivariate analysis using logistic regression was performed to establish factors associated with antibiotic prescription. RESULTS The prevalence of antibiotic prescriptions for common cold among children below 5 years was 23.3%. Factors associated with antibiotic prescription for common cold were duration of symptoms of more than 5 days (OR, 95% CI: 4.49; 1.16-17.23, p = 0.029) and being attended to by a clinical officer (OR, 95% CI: 0.19; 0.04-0.91, p = 0.038). CONCLUSION There is inappropriate antibiotic prescription among children with common cold in Tororo General Hospital. There is need for antibiotic stewardship programmes to promote optimal antibiotic use in primary care facilities.Contribution: The study's findings can be used to develop context-specific antibiotic stewardship programmes tailored to promote judicious use of antibiotics in primary care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenda Tusubira
- Department of Family Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala.
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Urbiztondo I, de Oliveira SM, Hernández-Flores N, Caballero L, Suarez MA, Bjerrum L, Cordoba G. General Practitioners' Views on the Acceptability and Applicability of Using Quality Indicators as an Intervention to Reduce Unnecessary Prescription of Antibiotics in Four South American Countries. Antibiotics (Basel) 2018; 7:antibiotics7030057. [PMID: 29976893 PMCID: PMC6163160 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics7030057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2018] [Revised: 06/28/2018] [Accepted: 07/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
As part of the quality improvement program “Health Alliance for Prudent Prescribing, Yield And Use of anti-microbial Drugs In the Treatment of respiratory tract infections” (HAPPY AUDIT) South America, we planned to implement an intervention based on the use of quality indicators as a means to influence General Practitioners’ (GPs) prescribing decision. Knowledge on the acceptability and applicability of an intervention is crucial to decide whether the intervention is suitable and will achieve the expected outcomes. This study explores GPs’ views about the acceptability and applicability of using quality indicators as an intervention to influence their prescribing decision in patients with suspected Respiratory Tract Infections (RTIs) across four countries in South-America. In March 2015, GPs that were participating in HAPPY AUDIT South America were invited to participate in focus groups. A discussion guide covering the domains acceptability and applicability was used. Data was analyzed through systematic text condensation with an inductive approach. 171 GPs were invited and 48% participated. Acceptability ranged from totally acceptable to slightly acceptable. This spectrum of GPs views on acceptability was influenced by themes concerning applicability. In conclusion, there is a positive attitude towards the use of quality indicators. Nonetheless, applicability challenges have to be taken into consideration and solved if we are to achieve a large effect with the implementation of this intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inés Urbiztondo
- The Research Unit for General Practice and Section of General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, 1014 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Sandi Michele de Oliveira
- The Institute for English, Germanic and Romance Studies, University of Copenhagen, 2300 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Nieves Hernández-Flores
- The Institute for English, Germanic and Romance Studies, University of Copenhagen, 2300 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Lidia Caballero
- Dr. Pedro Baliña Hospital, Public Health Ministry, 3300 Posadas, Misiones, Argentina.
| | | | - Lars Bjerrum
- The Research Unit for General Practice and Section of General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, 1014 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Gloria Cordoba
- The Research Unit for General Practice and Section of General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, 1014 Copenhagen, Denmark.
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Antibiotic prescribing for acute respiratory tract infections in primary care: an updated and expanded meta-ethnography. Br J Gen Pract 2018; 68:e633-e645. [PMID: 29914880 DOI: 10.3399/bjgp18x697889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2017] [Accepted: 03/15/2018] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Reducing unnecessary prescribing remains a key priority for tackling the global rise of antibiotic-resistant infections. AIM The authors sought to update a 2011 qualitative synthesis of GPs' experiences of antibiotic prescribing for acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs), including their views of interventions aimed at more prudent prescribing. They expanded the original scope to encompass all primary care professionals (PCPs) who can prescribe or dispense antibiotics for ARTIs (for example, nurses and pharmacists). DESIGN AND SETTING Systematic review and meta-ethnography of qualitative studies. METHOD A systematic search was conducted on MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, ASSIA, and Web of Science. No date or language restrictions were used. Identified studies were grouped according to their thematic focus (usual care versus intervention), and two separate syntheses were performed. RESULTS In all, 53 articles reporting the experiences of >1200 PCPs were included. Analysis of usual-care studies showed that PCPs tend to assume multiple roles in the context of ARTI consultations (the expert self, the benevolent self, the practical self), depending on the range of intrapersonal, interpersonal, and contextual situations in which they find themselves. Analysis of intervention studies identified four possible ways in which PCPs may experience quality improvement interventions (compromise, 'supportive aids', source of distress, and unnecessary). CONCLUSION Contrary to the original review, these results suggest that the use of the same intervention is experienced in a totally different way by different PCPs, and that the same elements that are perceived as benefits by some could be viewed as drawbacks by others. Acceptability of interventions is likely to increase if these are context sensitive and take into account PCPs' varying roles and changing priorities.
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Kaae S, Malaj A, Hoxha I. Antibiotic knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of Albanian health care professionals and patients - a qualitative interview study. J Pharm Policy Pract 2017; 10:13. [PMID: 28392925 PMCID: PMC5379499 DOI: 10.1186/s40545-017-0102-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2016] [Accepted: 03/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The inappropriate use of antimicrobials is a problem worldwide. To target future interventions, a thorough understanding of the reasons behind this current behaviour is needed. Within the EU, the culture of antimicrobial use has been intensely studied, but this is not the case in non-EU southeastern European countries, despite the frequent use of (broad-spectrum) antibiotics (ABs) in this region. The aim of this study was to explore AB knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of health care professionals (HCPs) and patients in one southeastern European country, Albania. Methods In total, 16 semi-structured interviews were carried out with four groups of interviewees: physicians, community pharmacists, and patients with and without AB prescriptions. Interviews were used to investigate participants’ recent practices with four specific antibiotics for upper respiratory tract infections, along with their typical behaviours, knowledge and attitudes towards the use of antimicrobials. A directed content analysis was applied. Results The patients showed little awareness of the differences between viruses and bacteria; however, they often self-diagnosed, which led them to request ABs from pharmacies without a prescription. Pharmacists felt pressured to give in to patients’ demands. All of the participants (including HCP) showed suboptimal beliefs about illness severity as they all believed that ‘flu complications’, i.e. flu/cold symptoms that persisted after 2–3 days, should be treated with ABs. Physicians usually had no rapid tests to guide them in their practice; however, they were not concerned about this fact. HCPs acknowledged AMR, but only a few of them seemed to consider its risk in their daily practice. Conclusions Patients had high levels of trust in and desire for ABs, and HCPs did not often negotiate with patients’ demands. Suggested initiatives to improve the prudent use of ABs in Albania include higher reimbursement for prescribed antibiotics (to reduce illegal sales), academic detailing as well as implementing public awareness campaigns. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40545-017-0102-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Kaae
- Department of Pharmacy, Section for Social and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 København Ø, Denmark
| | - Admir Malaj
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Medicine Tirana, Albania, Fakulteti Farmacise, Rr. Dibres 371, 1000 Tirana, Albania
| | - Iris Hoxha
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Medicine Tirana, Albania, Fakulteti Farmacise, Rr. Dibres 371, 1000 Tirana, Albania
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Belkina T, Duvanova N, Karbovskaja J, Tebbens JD, Vlcek J. Antibiotic use practices of pharmacy staff: a cross-sectional study in Saint Petersburg, the Russian Federation. BMC Pharmacol Toxicol 2017; 18:11. [PMID: 28193258 PMCID: PMC5307805 DOI: 10.1186/s40360-017-0116-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2016] [Accepted: 01/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Non-prescription access to antimicrobials is common, and self-prescribing is increasingly popular in Russian society. The aim of this study was to assess the attitudes of community pharmacists regarding antibiotic use and self-medication. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional study from September-December 2015 of community pharmacists in the Saint-Petersburg and Leningrad region, Russia. A self-administered questionnaire was used to assess antibiotic use and self-medication practices. The data were analysed using logistic regression and Pearson chi-squared tests. RESULTS Of the 316 pharmacists (77.07%) who completed the questionnaire, 230 (72.8%) self-medicated with antibiotics. Antibiotics were mostly used to self-treat upper (53.3%) and lower respiratory tract infections (19.3%), relying on their own knowledge (81.5%), previous treatment experience (49%) and patients' prescriptions (17%). The most commonly used antibiotics were macrolides (33.2%). Characteristics such as age, education and experience were related to antibiotic use and self-medication. CONCLUSIONS The study confirmed that self-prescription of antibiotics is a common practice amongst pharmacists in Saint Petersburg and also identified personal and professional characteristics of pharmacists strongly associated with self-medication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana Belkina
- Department of Social and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Heyrovskeho 1203, Hradec Kralove, 50005, Czech Republic.
| | - Natalia Duvanova
- Department of Social and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Heyrovskeho 1203, Hradec Kralove, 50005, Czech Republic
| | - Julia Karbovskaja
- Department of Technology of Dosage Forms, Saint Petersburg State Chemical - Pharmaceutical Academy, Prof. Popova Str. 14, Saint Petersburg, 197376, Russian Federation
| | - Jurjen Duintjer Tebbens
- Department of Biophysics and Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Heyrovskeho 1203, Hradec Kralove, 50005, Czech Republic
| | - Jiri Vlcek
- Department of Social and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Heyrovskeho 1203, Hradec Kralove, 50005, Czech Republic
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Saleem Z, Saeed H, Ahmad M, Yousaf M, Hassan HB, Javed A, Anees N, Maharjan S. Antibiotic Self-Prescribing Trends, Experiences and Attitudes in Upper Respiratory Tract Infection among Pharmacy and Non-Pharmacy Students: A Study from Lahore. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0149929. [PMID: 26919465 PMCID: PMC4769098 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0149929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2015] [Accepted: 02/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Pharmacists are the custodians of drugs; hence their education, training, behaviors and experiences would affect the future use of drugs at community and hospital pharmacies. Therefore, we aimed at evaluating the self-prescribing antibiotic trends, knowledge and attitudes among pharmacy and non-pharmacy students. We found that pharmacy students had higher risks of experiencing URIs related symptoms such as cough (RR; 1.7, p = 0.002), allergy (RR; 2.07, p = 0.03) and running nose (RR; 3.17, p<0.005), compared to non-pharmacy students -resulting in higher probabilities of selecting cough syrups (OR; 2.3, p<0.005), anti-histamines (OR; 1.8, p = 0.036) and anti-inflammatory/anti-pyretic (OR; 2.4, p<0.005) drugs. Likewise, bachelor’s degree pupils (OR; 2, p = 0.045), urban area residents (OR; 2.44; p = 0.002) and pharmacy students (OR; 2.9, p<0.005) exhibited higher propensities of antibiotic self-use–notable classes include, b-lactams (45.9%) followed by macrolides (26.5%) and augmentin (28.94%), respectively. Surprisingly, pharmacy and non-pharmacy students had higher odds of using antibiotics in common cold (OR; 3.2, p<0.005) and pain (OR; 2.37, p = 0.015), respectively. Unlike non-pharmacy students, pharmacy students were likely to select alternative therapy, such as Joshanda (OR; 2.22, p = 0.011) and were well acquainted with antibiotic hazards, with 77% reduction in risk of antibiotics re-use. In conclusion, university students exhibited antibiotic self-prescribing trends in conditions that does not warrant their use, thus are irrational users. The pharmacy education confers very little benefit to rational self-prescribing practices among students, while non-pharmacy students are more vulnerable to repeated antibiotic usage. Thus, the educational and training modules should be designed for university students to disseminate targeted information regarding the potential hazards of antibiotic self-use and importance of consultation with qualified and registered medical doctor/pharmacist before starting with antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zikria Saleem
- Clinical Pharmacy Section, University College of Pharmacy, University of the Punjab, AllamaIqbal Campus, 54000, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Hamid Saeed
- Clinical Pharmacy Section, University College of Pharmacy, University of the Punjab, AllamaIqbal Campus, 54000, Lahore, Pakistan
- * E-mail:
| | - Mobasher Ahmad
- Clinical Pharmacy Section, University College of Pharmacy, University of the Punjab, AllamaIqbal Campus, 54000, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Mahrukh Yousaf
- Clinical Pharmacy Section, University College of Pharmacy, University of the Punjab, AllamaIqbal Campus, 54000, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Hafsa Binte Hassan
- Clinical Pharmacy Section, University College of Pharmacy, University of the Punjab, AllamaIqbal Campus, 54000, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Ayesha Javed
- Clinical Pharmacy Section, University College of Pharmacy, University of the Punjab, AllamaIqbal Campus, 54000, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Nida Anees
- Clinical Pharmacy Section, University College of Pharmacy, University of the Punjab, AllamaIqbal Campus, 54000, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Sonu Maharjan
- Clinical Pharmacy Section, University College of Pharmacy, University of the Punjab, AllamaIqbal Campus, 54000, Lahore, Pakistan
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Pereko DD, Lubbe MS, Essack SY. Antibiotic use in Namibia: prescriber practices for common community infections. S Afr Fam Pract (2004) 2015. [DOI: 10.1080/20786190.2015.1024021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
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Cordoba G, Siersma V, Lopez-Valcarcel B, Bjerrum L, Llor C, Aabenhus R, Makela M. Prescribing style and variation in antibiotic prescriptions for sore throat: cross-sectional study across six countries. BMC FAMILY PRACTICE 2015; 16:7. [PMID: 25630870 PMCID: PMC4316394 DOI: 10.1186/s12875-015-0224-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2014] [Accepted: 01/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Background Variation in prescription of antibiotics in primary care can indicate poor clinical practice that contributes to the increase of resistant strains. General Practitioners (GPs), as a professional group, are expected to have a fairly homogeneous prescribing style. In this paper, we describe variation in prescribing style within and across groups of GPs from six countries. Methods Cross-sectional study with the inclusion of 457 GPs and 6394 sore throat patients. We describe variation in prescribing antibiotics for sore throat patients across six countries and assess whether variation in “prescribing style” – understood as a subjective tendency to prescribe – has an important effect on variation in prescription of antibiotics by using the concept of prescribing style as a latent variable in a multivariable model. We report variation as a Median Odds Ratio (MOR) which is the transformation of the random effect variance onto an odds ratio; Thus, MOR = 1 means similar odds or strict homogeneity between GPs’ prescribing style, while a MOR higher than 1 denotes heterogeneity in prescribing style. Results In all countries some GPs always prescribed antibiotics to all their patients, while other GPs never did. After adjusting for patient and GP characteristics, prescribing style in the group of GPs from Russia was about three times more heterogeneous than the prescribing style in the group of GPs from Denmark – Median Odds Ratio (6.8, 95% CI 3.1;8.8) and (2.6, 95% CI 2.2;4.4) respectively. Conclusion Prescribing style is an important source of variation in prescription of antibiotics within and across countries, even after adjusting for patient and GP characteristics. Interventions aimed at influencing the prescribing style of GPs must encompass context-specific actions at the policy-making level alongside GP-targeted interventions to enable GPs to react more objectively to the external demands that are in place when making the decision of prescribing antibiotics or not.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gloria Cordoba
- The Research Unit for General Practice and Section of General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, ØsterFarimagsgade 5, P. O. Box 2099, DK-1440, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Volkert Siersma
- The Research Unit for General Practice and Section of General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, ØsterFarimagsgade 5, P. O. Box 2099, DK-1440, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Beatriz Lopez-Valcarcel
- Universityof Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Campus Universitario de Tafira, Las Palmas de GC, CanaryIslands, Spain.
| | - Lars Bjerrum
- The Research Unit for General Practice and Section of General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, ØsterFarimagsgade 5, P. O. Box 2099, DK-1440, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Carl Llor
- University Rovira i Virgili, Spanish Society of Family Medicine, Primary Healthcare Centre Jaume I, Tarragona, Spain.
| | - Rune Aabenhus
- The Research Unit for General Practice and Section of General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, ØsterFarimagsgade 5, P. O. Box 2099, DK-1440, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Marjukka Makela
- The Research Unit for General Practice and Section of General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, ØsterFarimagsgade 5, P. O. Box 2099, DK-1440, Copenhagen, Denmark. .,Finnish Office for Health Technology Assessment, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.
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Dimova R, Dimitrova D, Semerdjieva M, Doikov I. Patient Attitudes and Patterns of Self-Medication with Antibiotics – A Cross-Sectional Study in Bulgaria. Open Access Maced J Med Sci 2014. [DOI: 10.3889/oamjms.2014.118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Self-medication with antibiotics is a major concern worldwide because of the high risks of antimicrobial resistance which may result in complicated courses of treatment, increased risk of death and excess costs to the healthcare systems.AIM: The aim was to study the attitudes and self-medication patterns as related to the use of antibiotics among the general Bulgarian population and their determinants.MATERIALS AND METHODS: A questionnaire-based survey was performed among the patients in two randomly selected municipalities. The questionnaire was mailed to 50 randomly selected adult patients by each of the 33 responding GPs thus addressing a total of 1650 participants.RESULTS: A total of 1050 patients completed and returned the questionnaire. The observed self-medication rate was 43%. The women and the younger employees and students tended to have a higher self-medication rate. Fever (22%), sore throat and cough (12.7%) and discomfort when urinating (8.2%) were the most frequent patterns related to the practice of self-medication.CONCLUSION: This analysis reported an extensive use of self-medication with antibiotics in the study population before the changes in the Bulgarian legislation. Younger age and social status (students, employed) were the most important socio-demographic patterns that had probably led towards self-medication with antibiotics.
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Zaghloul AA, Elsergany M, El-Enein NA, Alsuwaidi H, Ayoub M. Over-the-counter medication patterns in households in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Risk Manag Healthc Policy 2013; 7:19-24. [PMID: 24403846 PMCID: PMC3883161 DOI: 10.2147/rmhp.s55752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Self-medication and acquisition of over-the-counter (OTC) medications are emerging community health issues. Besides being a cheap alternative for treating common illnesses, the behavior entails serious ramifications, such as medication wastage, increasing pathogen resistance, and adverse drug reactions. The present study was conducted to explore the extent of OTC medications in households in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE), including native UAE and expatriate families. Methods The study employed a population-based, cross-sectional, analytical study design. The study population included native and expatriate households residing in the Emirate of Sharjah, UAE. The snowball sampling technique was used, and the sample included a total of 335 households. Results Expatriate households acquired more OTC medications than did native households (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=1.7). The demographic determinants for expatriate households were number of family members (aOR=1.6), age of children in the family (aOR=1.8), and annual income (aOR=0.5). Expatriate households purchased more OTC medication practices than did native households (aOR=2.2). In the statistical sense, expatriate household practices were buying medication upon relatives’ advice (aOR=0.3), storage condition of medication (aOR=2.4), and disposal of expired medication (aOR=0.6). The highest percentages of OTC medications in native and expatriate households were those related to gastric and ear, nose, and throat illnesses. Conclusion The presence of OTC medications in expatriate households was two-fold more common than in native households in Sharjah, UAE. There were significant associations for behaviors related to the reasons why OTC medications were purchased and stored within the household for both native and expatriate families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashraf Ahmad Zaghloul
- Health Administration and Behavioral Sciences Department, High Institute of Public Health, University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Moetaz Elsergany
- e-School Health and Environmental Studies, Hamdan Bin Mohamed eUniversity, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Nagwa Abou El-Enein
- Health Administration and Behavioral Sciences Department, High Institute of Public Health, University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Hamda Alsuwaidi
- College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Mohamed Ayoub
- College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
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