Abstract

Background: Drug use is a complex subject involving the prescriber, the dispenser, the patient and pharmaceutical institutions. It is influenced by factors such as drug availability, prescriber’s experience, and knowledge of dispensers, health budget, cultural factors and many more. Inappropriate drug use is the problem of the whole world; however the degree of the problem is higher in developing countries like Ethiopia.
Objective: To assess drug use pattern by using who core drug use indicators at public hospitals in Gamo Gofa Zone, Southern Ethiopia September 2013.
Methods: Retrospective and prospective cross sectional study were used to collect data from prescriptions dispensed through the general outpatient pharmacies and Information for patients respectively. A pretested structured questionnaire was employed to collect information from prescription papers and respondents after obtaining a verbal consent. Data was entered, cleaned, edited and analysed using SPSS Version 16.0 statistical software package.
Results: The average number of drugs per prescription was 1.77 in Arba Minch General Hospital and 1.95 in Chencha District hospital ranging from 1-5. Percentage of encounter with antibiotics was 292 (48.67%) and 360 (60.20%) respectively. The Percentage of drugs prescribed by generic name and from an essential drug list was 100%. The mean consultation time spent between the prescriber and patient was 3.82 minutes and 3.66 minutes respectively and the mean pharmacy dispensing time was 1.18 minutes and 1.33 minutes respectively. More than half Patients had knowledge on drug dispensed to them 60.0% and 52.0% respectively and none of drugs dispensed were adequately labelled.
Conclusion: In our study the labelling status of prescribed medicines was very poor and needs special attention. Dispensing time is very short and it could have influenced patient’s knowledge on dispensed drugs. Furthermore designing strategies to improve availability of key essential drugs; establishing antimicrobial stewardship committee in both hospitals and improving drug and therapeutics committee by responsible bodies.

Keywords: Drug use; Prescribing indicator; Patient care indicators; Facility indicators, Gamo gofa