Assessment of Patient Counseling on Dispensing of Medicines in Outpatient Pharmacy of Tikur-Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Patients' care when dispensing of Medicines could be ensured through the delivery of drug information either orally or in written form. Pharmacists are expected to ascertain that patients or caregivers have gained clear and complete information. The objective of this study was to assess patient counseling during dispensing of medicines and associated factors in Tikur-Anbessa Specialized Hospital. METHOD: A cross sectional study was conducted to assess patients' counseling and a convenient sampling technique was employed to select study participants. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire and observation checklist and, analyzed by using SPSS version 20. Descriptive statistics and odds ratio were used to present study results. RESULTS: A total of 286 respondents were included in this study. Most (93.7%; 94.4%; 91%) of the respondents were told the drug unit dose, frequency of administration and duration of therapy respectively. Less than a third of the patients received information on drug-drug interactions, storage of medications and side -effects. None of the patients were told what to do on missed dose and, none were asked back to repeat their understanding. Three fourth of the patients reported that they were satisfied with the counseling services provided. Females were more likely to be satisfied than males whereas, level of education showed a negative association with pharmacist counseling services. CONCLUSION: Drug dose, frequency of administration and duration of therapy were the most frequently delivered information to patients. Gender and level of education have significant association with medication counseling service in the study setting.

Treatment Pattern and Factors Associated with Blood Pressure and Fasting Plasma Glucose Control among Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Police Referral Hospital in Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of T2DM in Ethiopia is on the rise according to certain studies. Appropriate management approaches are required to achieve desired goals of therapy in the clinical setup. This study was conducted to assess the treatment pattern and the factors associated with BP and FPG control among patients with T2DM in Federal Police Referral Hospital. METHOD: An institution based cross sectional study was conducted from 15th October 2016 to 15th January 2017. A Systematic random sampling technique was employed in selecting the study participants. Data was collected using semi-structured interview and visiting medication records. SPSS version 20 was used for data analysis. RESULTS: Out of a total of 414 participants who fulfilled the inclusion criteria, 361 were successfully interviewed and considered for further analysis. Target BP level was achieved in 206(57.1%) of the patients, whereas the proportion of hypertensive diabetics who attained the recommended BP target was 19.4% (n=40). Of the 361 participants who were checked about their current FPG level, only 142(39.3%) were found to be <130mg/dl. However, 87(24.1%) participants were found to control both BP and FPG levels. Gender, military status, comorbidity, type of therapy and dietary adherence showed a statistically significant association with outcome variables. CONCLUSION: The proportion of participants with T2DM who achieved target BP, FPG or both was suboptimal. A comprehensive approach that involves targeted education on self-management strategies, individualized treatment plans, and continuous evaluation of treatment outcomes should be practiced.

Factors contributing to non-adherence with treatment among TB patients in Sodo Woreda, Gurage Zone, Southern Ethiopia: A qualitative study.

Poor adherence by tuberculosis (TB) patients to their medication contributes not only to the worsening of their TB situation but also paves a way for incidence of drug resistance. This study, hence, aims to explore factors contributing for non-adherence of TB treatment among TB patients in Sodo Woreda, Gurage Zone, Southern Ethiopia. A qualitative study, which included 22 in-depth interviews from four health centers and seven health posts, was conducted from February 25 to April 27, 2014. Although the drugs were given free of charge, many patients were unable to adhere to their treatment because of one or a combination of the following factors; lack of adequate food, poor communication between healthcare providers and patients, beliefs in traditional healing system, unavailability of the service in nearby health facilities, side-effect and pill burden of the drugs, stigma and discrimination. The patients take their anti-TB medications under difficult circumstances and experienced a wide range of interacting factors. This, in turn, has resulted for non-adhered treatment taking behavior by many patients. Health professionals and policy makers should be aware of such factors and initiate sustained educational campaigns directed towards all parties in the study area to obtain a good success with TB treatment.

Cosmetics Use-Related Adverse Events and Determinants Among Jigjiga Town Residents, Eastern Ethiopia.

INTRODUCTION: Non-medicated cosmetics use is very common among the Ethiopian population. However, little is known about these products' related adverse events. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and determinants of cosmetics-related adverse events among Jigjiga Town residents, Eastern Ethiopia. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study design was conducted in May and June 2014. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect cosmetics use pattern and related adverse events. For assessing determinants, logistic regression was used and statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: Overall, 600 participants were approached with a 93% response rate. Ninety-three percent (n = 521) of them reported the use of cosmetics at least once within 2 weeks prior to this study, and of these, 229 (44%) used traditional herbal cosmetics along with modern cosmetics. A total of 342 (61%) reported experiencing adverse events of which the most common reported were: allergic reactions, 149 (36%); the appearance of acne, 66 (16%); and hirsutism, 52 (12.5%). The occurrence of cosmetics-related adverse events were significantly associated with the number of cosmetics used per day, the frequency of use, mixing of different types of cosmetics together, and mixing of cosmetics with water or saliva. CONCLUSION: A higher proportion of cosmetic users reported experiencing at least one adverse event. The number of cosmetic products and frequency of use were important predictors for experiencing adverse events. This implies the need to consider safety concerns related to cosmetic use. Approaches to address such issues may include awareness creation programs and promoting the concept of cosmetovigilance among cosmetic sellers, users, and other stakeholders.

Assessment of medicines use pattern using World Health Organization's Prescribing, Patient Care and Health facility indicators in selected health facilities in eastern Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: About one-third of the world's population lack access to essential medicines and this is further compounded by inappropriate prescription, dispensing, sale and use of the available medicines. The objective of the study was to assess the patterns of medicine use among health facilities in eastern Ethiopia using World Health Organization's Prescribing, Patient Care and Health facility indicators. METHODS: A cross sectional study was carried out in eight randomly selected health centers and data were collected retrospectively as well as prospectively. Prescribing indicators were assessed retrospectively using 636 prescriptions selected by systematic random sampling technique among prescriptions filled between September 2013 and September 2014. Patient care indicators were assessed prospectively by interviewing 708 patients from the health facilities. Health facilities were assessed through observation. Data were entered and analyzed using Statistical Packages for Social Sciences version 20. P-value less than 0.05 at 95% confidence interval considered for significance of relationships for associations in statistical tests. RESULTS: The average number of medicines per prescription was 2.2 with standard deviation of 0.8. The proportion of medicines prescribed by generic name was 97 and 92% of the prescribed medicines were included in List of Essential Medicines for Ethiopia, Prescriptions containing antibiotics and injections constituted (82.5 and 11.2%) respectively. Of the total of 1426 medicines prescribed, 49.6% were antibiotics, with amoxicillin (33.3%) and co-trimoxazole (16.0%) being the most commonly prescribed agents. The average consultation and dispensing times were 5.6 and 2.7 min, respectively. Among the medicines dispensed, 64.0% were adequately labeled and the proportion of patients with adequate knowledge about medicines was 69%. CONCLUSION: The prescribing and dispensing practices in the health facilities are fairly good and are not that far from the standard WHO requirements. However, there is a need to do more on some issues, including prescribing practice of antibiotics, average number of medicines per prescription, and patients' dosage form knowledge.

Evaluation of Ceftriaxone utilization in internal medicine wards of general hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: a comparative retrospective study.

OBJECTIVES: The irrational use of reserved antimicrobials, such as ceftriaxone, is one of the global public health issues particularly to low income countries like Ethiopia, leading to high costs of treatment or therapeutic failure. The purpose of the present study, thus, is to evaluate the appropriateness of ceftriaxone utilization in the medicine wards of general hospitals in Addis Ababa, with reference to the standard treatment guideline of Ethiopia for general hospitals. METHODS: An institution based retrospective cross sectional study design was conducted in the internal medicine wards of Hayat and Zewditu Memorial hospital from 20 January to 20 February, 2014. Medication records of all patients who were admitted and prescribed with ceftriaxone during the previous one year to the study period were evaluated in reference to the Ethiopian Standard Treatment Guideline (STG 2010) for general hospitals. RESULTS: The proportion of patients who received ceftriaxone was 59.3 % and 49 % in the public & the private hospital, respectively. Pneumonia, meningitis and sepsis were the common diagnoses in which ceftriaxone was prescribed in both hospitals. Maintenance fluids were the top ranked co-prescribed drugs in either hospital. Only 48.9 % in the public hospital and 44.6 % of records in the private hospital showed overall ceftriaxone use compliance to the guideline. Days of hospital stay was associated with appropriateness of ceftriaxone therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Even though ceftriaxone is one of the most commonly prescribed drugs in both hospitals, appropriateness of its use, according to the Ethiopian standard treatment guideline, was less than expected. This was so mainly from its indication and duration of therapy. Increasing the duration of hospital stay, however, showed to improve the appropriateness of ceftriaxone utilization.