10.5061/DRYAD.9C87T
Mbonye, Anthony K.
Directorate of Clinical and Community Services
Buregyeya, Esther
Makerere University
Rutebemberwa, Elizeus
Makerere University
Clarke, Sian E.
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Lal, Sham
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Hansen, Kristian S.
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Magnussen, Pascal
University of Copenhagen
LaRussa, Philip
Columbia University
Data from: Prescription of antibiotics at drug shops and strategies to
improve quality of care and patient safety: a cross-sectional survey in
the private sector in Uganda
Dryad
dataset
2016
Health policy
Tropical medicine
2016-02-29T15:41:45Z
2016-02-29T15:41:45Z
en
https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2015-010632
316742 bytes
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CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
Objectives: The main objective of this study was to assess antibiotic
prescription practices at registered drug shops with a focus on upper
respiratory tract infections among children in order to provide data for
policy discussions aimed at improving quality of care and patient safety
in the private health sector in Uganda. Methods: A survey was conducted
within 57 parishes from August to October 2014 in Mukono district, Uganda.
Data was captured on the following variables: drug shop characteristics,
training of staff in management of pneumonia, availability of guidelines
and basic equipment, available antibiotics, knowledge on treatment of
pneumonia in children aged < 5 years. The main study outcome was
the proportion of private health facilities prescribing an antibiotic.
Results: A total of 170 registered drug shops were surveyed between
August–October 2014. The majority of drug shops, 93.5% were prescribing
antibiotics especially Amoxicillin and Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole
(Septrin). The professional qualification of a provider was significantly
associated with this practice, p=0.04; where lower cadre staff (nursing
assistants and enrolled nurses) over-prescribed antibiotics. A third,
29.4% of drug shop providers reported that antibiotics were the first-line
treatment of children with diarrhoea; yet the standard guideline is to
give Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) and zinc tablets. Only few providers,
8.2%, had training on antibiotics and 10.6% on pneumonia case management.
Further to this, 7.1% drug shops had WHO- Integrated Management of
Childhood Illness (IMCI) guidelines; and a negligible proportion
(<1%) had respiratory timers and baby weighing scales. Although the
majority of providers, 82.4% knew severe signs and symptoms of pneumonia;
few, 17.6% knew that amoxicillin was the first-line drug for treatment
pneumonia in children according to the guidelines. Conclusion: There is
urgent need to regulate drug shop practices of prescribing and selling
antibiotics for the safety of patients seeking care at these outlets.
Baseline survey private sector Feb 27 2016