Evaluation of rational prescribing in a hospital paediatric outpatient clinic in Nigeria
Background Irrational prescribing is a continuing public health issue in low/middle-income countries. This study evaluated the drug use pattern of medicines in paediatrics aged below 12 years attending the outpatient paediatric clinic of Bingham University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.Method An observ...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMJ Publishing Group
2022-10-01
|
| Series: | BMJ Paediatrics Open |
| Online Access: | https://bmjpaedsopen.bmj.com/content/6/1/e001585.full |
| _version_ | 1797774646060253184 |
|---|---|
| author | Blessing Ijeoma Okoye Jacintha Chibuogwu Udemba Chinwendu Augusta Ndugba Justina Ijeoma Okonkwo Ebierinyo Andi Obed |
| author_facet | Blessing Ijeoma Okoye Jacintha Chibuogwu Udemba Chinwendu Augusta Ndugba Justina Ijeoma Okonkwo Ebierinyo Andi Obed |
| author_sort | Blessing Ijeoma Okoye |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background Irrational prescribing is a continuing public health issue in low/middle-income countries. This study evaluated the drug use pattern of medicines in paediatrics aged below 12 years attending the outpatient paediatric clinic of Bingham University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.Method An observational cross-sectional study was conducted using patients’ medical records who attended the outpatient paediatric clinic from 1 January to 30 April 2022. The WHO prescribing indicators and guidelines for investigating drug use in health facilities were used.Result A total of 800 prescriptions containing 2723 drugs were analysed, with a mean number of drugs per prescription of 3.4. A total of 651 patients (81.3%) had at least one antibiotic, and the number of encounters with injection was 17.5% (140 patients). Prescribing by generic name was done for 1406 (51.6%) drugs; of the 2723 drugs prescribed, 2441 (89.6%) were from the WHO Pediatric Essential Medication List. In addition, 80% of the prescriptions contained antimalaria. Analgesics/antipyretics were the most frequently prescribed medicine (87.9%).Conclusion The findings of this study deviated from the WHO recommended standards. There is a need to target paediatric clinics further and enforce national strategies to tackle non-standard prescribing practices among the paediatric population. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T22:23:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d94ad1e1edf246e899bf80176a7fcf9a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2399-9772 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T22:23:27Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Paediatrics Open |
| spelling | doaj.art-d94ad1e1edf246e899bf80176a7fcf9a2023-07-23T04:30:06ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Paediatrics Open2399-97722022-10-016110.1136/bmjpo-2022-001585Evaluation of rational prescribing in a hospital paediatric outpatient clinic in NigeriaBlessing Ijeoma Okoye0Jacintha Chibuogwu Udemba1Chinwendu Augusta Ndugba2Justina Ijeoma Okonkwo3Ebierinyo Andi Obed4Pharmacy, Bingham University Teaching Hospital, Jos, NigeriaPharmacy, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, NigeriaPharmacy, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, NigeriaPharmacy, Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti, NigeriaPublic Health, Military Hospital Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, NigeriaBackground Irrational prescribing is a continuing public health issue in low/middle-income countries. This study evaluated the drug use pattern of medicines in paediatrics aged below 12 years attending the outpatient paediatric clinic of Bingham University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.Method An observational cross-sectional study was conducted using patients’ medical records who attended the outpatient paediatric clinic from 1 January to 30 April 2022. The WHO prescribing indicators and guidelines for investigating drug use in health facilities were used.Result A total of 800 prescriptions containing 2723 drugs were analysed, with a mean number of drugs per prescription of 3.4. A total of 651 patients (81.3%) had at least one antibiotic, and the number of encounters with injection was 17.5% (140 patients). Prescribing by generic name was done for 1406 (51.6%) drugs; of the 2723 drugs prescribed, 2441 (89.6%) were from the WHO Pediatric Essential Medication List. In addition, 80% of the prescriptions contained antimalaria. Analgesics/antipyretics were the most frequently prescribed medicine (87.9%).Conclusion The findings of this study deviated from the WHO recommended standards. There is a need to target paediatric clinics further and enforce national strategies to tackle non-standard prescribing practices among the paediatric population.https://bmjpaedsopen.bmj.com/content/6/1/e001585.full |
| spellingShingle | Blessing Ijeoma Okoye Jacintha Chibuogwu Udemba Chinwendu Augusta Ndugba Justina Ijeoma Okonkwo Ebierinyo Andi Obed Evaluation of rational prescribing in a hospital paediatric outpatient clinic in Nigeria BMJ Paediatrics Open |
| title | Evaluation of rational prescribing in a hospital paediatric outpatient clinic in Nigeria |
| title_full | Evaluation of rational prescribing in a hospital paediatric outpatient clinic in Nigeria |
| title_fullStr | Evaluation of rational prescribing in a hospital paediatric outpatient clinic in Nigeria |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluation of rational prescribing in a hospital paediatric outpatient clinic in Nigeria |
| title_short | Evaluation of rational prescribing in a hospital paediatric outpatient clinic in Nigeria |
| title_sort | evaluation of rational prescribing in a hospital paediatric outpatient clinic in nigeria |
| url | https://bmjpaedsopen.bmj.com/content/6/1/e001585.full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT blessingijeomaokoye evaluationofrationalprescribinginahospitalpaediatricoutpatientclinicinnigeria AT jacinthachibuogwuudemba evaluationofrationalprescribinginahospitalpaediatricoutpatientclinicinnigeria AT chinwenduaugustandugba evaluationofrationalprescribinginahospitalpaediatricoutpatientclinicinnigeria AT justinaijeomaokonkwo evaluationofrationalprescribinginahospitalpaediatricoutpatientclinicinnigeria AT ebierinyoandiobed evaluationofrationalprescribinginahospitalpaediatricoutpatientclinicinnigeria |