ABSTRACT
Background: Patients' good understanding and awareness of drug information received at the drug retail outlet is paramount to gaining expected outcomes. In the COVID-19 pandemic, the routine counselling practice faced multifactorial challenges. Objectives: The study aimed to assess medication counseling practice and associated factors in drug retail outlets of Jimma town, southwest Ethiopia. Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted using an interviewer administered questionnaire. The data were analysed by using SPSS version 23. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to identify factors associated with medication counselling practice. Results: A total of 180 pharmacy professionals were enrolled in the study, about half (51.1%) of the participants reported good medication counselling provision for their patients. In A multivariable logistic regression analysis, reduced pharmacist's level of communication (AOR=0.008; CI: 0.001-0.292; p= 0.009) and shortage of personal protective equipment (AOR=0.021; CI: 0.002-0.226; p=0.002) due Covid-19 were factors associated with poor medication counselling practice. Conclusion: Reduced level of communication and shortage of personal protective equipment due to Covid-19 were factors associated with poor medication counselling practice. In general, Jimma town health offices and Oromia Region Health bureau should struggle in association with other stakeholders to improve the identified bottleneck of pharmacist's counselling practice.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Humans , COVID-19/epidemiology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Pandemics , Ethiopia/epidemiology , CounselingABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Neonatal populations are quite susceptible to drug-related problems (DRPs) because of clinical heterogeneity and clinical practice trends. However, studies reporting DRPs in the neonatal population are quite limited. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the magnitude and types of DRPs and determinant factors among neonates admitted with neonatal sepsis at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the Jimma University Medical Center (JUMC), Ethiopia. METHODS: A hospital-based prospective observational study was conducted involving 201 neonates with sepsis admitted to the NICU from May to August 30, 2018. DRPs were classified using Cipolle's classification method. Statistical Package for Social Science Version 22 was employed for data analysis. Logistical regression was carried out to determine the determinants of DRPs. A p-value < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. RESULTS: Of 201 neonates with sepsis included in this study, 125 (62.2%) were males and the median age of the neonate was 5 days. The mean (±standard deviation) number of medications taking during their hospital stay was 2.6 ± 0.7. DRPs were identified in 98 neonates, at a rate of 48.8% (95% CI, 41.7-55.9). Dose too high (42, 35.8%) and need additional drug therapy (40, 34.1%) were the commonly identified DRPs. Taking antibiotics plus other medications (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) =5.2, 95%CI [1.2-22.0], p = 0.02) was a determinant factor for the occurrence of DRPs. CONCLUSION: The burdens of DRPs occurrence were high in hospitalized neonates with sepsis. The most common DRPs identified were dose too high and need additional drug therapy. Combined use of other medicines with antibiotics was a predictor of DRP occurrence. The innovative way to tackle the occurrence of DRPs, such as the incorporation of clinical pharmacy service provider into the neonatal care team, which will prevent, detect and/or minimize the occurrence of DRPs, is highly recommended.
ABSTRACT
Background: The rapid spread of COVID-19 infection has led countries across the globe to take various measures to contain the outbreak, including the closure of Universities. Forcing University students to stay at home has created enormous stress and uncertainty in their daily life. Objective: This study aimed to assess the perceived stress and coping strategies among undergraduate health science students of Jimma University amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Materials and methods: An online cross-sectional survey was conducted involving 337 undergraduate health science students from August to September 5, 2020. The perceived stress scale (PSS)-10 and Brief-COPE scale were used to assess the level of stress and coping strategies, respectively. Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) Version 22 was employed for data analysis. Logistic regression was conducted to identify predictors of high perceived stress. Results: The overall mean [±standard deviation (SD)] age of the participants was 22.88 (±1.78) years. The mean (±SD) PSS score was 22.16 (±1.41), and high perceived stress was reported in 121 (35.9%) participants. The overall mean (±SD) coping score was 72.34 (±12.31), and approach coping was the predominantly used strategy for coping with stress. Personal perception of being stressed by the daily number of COVID-19 cases/deaths in Ethiopia (AOR = 4.61, p < 0.01), rare online talk/chat with friends (AOR = 4.07, p = 0.01), presence of confusion due to the inconsistent strategies developed by the health/government authorities in view of the scientific recommendations (AOR = 2.22, p = 0.01), perception of self/family members being at risk of getting sick (AOR = 0.53, p = 0.03), decreased household income following the COVID-19 pandemic (AOR = 3.92, p = 0.01), practicing denial (AOR = 1.34, p < 0.01), self-blame (AOR = 1.23, p = 0.02), planning (AOR = 1.28, p = 0.01), and religion (AOR = 1.41, p < 0.01) as means of coping with stress were associated with high perceived stress. Conclusion: Over one-third of the participants had a high level of perceived stress, and the majority of them were practicing effective means of coping with stress. The authors recommend that the hosting University in collaboration with the concerned bodies develop innovative strategies to improve the psychological well-being of the students.
