Medical Prescription Pitfalls of Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infections in Government Healthcare Facilities in Zambia
Date
2017
Authors
Besa, C.
Siziya, S.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Medical Journal of Zambia. 44 (1)
Abstract
The aim of this evaluation was to identify pitfalls in medical prescriptions of uncomplicated urinary tract infections in government healthcare facilities in Zambia. Design: This was a cross sectional and government healthcare facilities were conveniently sampled. Main outcome measures: Rate of compliance to Zambia national prescribing guidelines. Results: A total of 42 (75.0%) out of 56 students participated in the survey of whom 66.7% were males. Findings in this study has demonstrated significant drug misuse and over-prescription as participants were healthy individuals. Only 75.6% of prescriptions indicated patient's name and very small proportions of prescriptions (11.5%) indicated patients' address. In addition, relatively small proportion of prescriptions (68.8%) had generic names and many prescriptions (58.1%) had large blank spaces left. Furthermore, relatively large proportion of prescriptions were not signed (10.7%) and not dated (12.0%). Almost half of the prescriptions (47.6%) did not show prescribers' names and only small proportions of prescriptions had precribers' identification number (24.0%) and address or department (21.5%) indicated.
Description
Identifying pitfalls in medical prescriptions of uncomplicated urinary tract infections in government healthcare facilities in Zambia.
Keywords
Prescription Drug Misuse--Zambia , Prescription Medicine Misuse,Urinary Tract Infections--Zambia , Clinical Pharmacology,Urinary Tract Infections--Zambia
Citation
Besa, C. and Siziya, S. (2017). Medical Prescription Pitfalls of Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infections in Government Healthcare Facilities in Zambia. Medical Journal of Zambia. 44 (1)