Inappropriate medication prescribing, polypharmacy, potential drug-drug interactions and medication regimen complexity in older adults attending three referral hospitals in Asmara, Eritrea: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Older adults often face several chronic illnesses that require them to take multiple medications. The increased number of prescribed medications has led to more complex medication regimens, putting older adults at a higher risk of potential drug-drug interactions, inappropriate medication prescribing, and adverse events. This study aimed to assess inappropriate prescribing practices, polypharmacy, medication regimen complexity, and their determinants in older adults.

Potentially Inappropriate Use of Medication and Its Determinants Among Ambulatory Older Adults in Six Community Chain Pharmacies in Asmara, Eritrea: A Cross-Sectional Study Using the 2023 American Geriatric Society Beers Criteria.

Background: Potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use is one of the main drug-related problems encountered in older adults. It is associated with adverse drug events, morbidity, mortality, increased economic costs, and negative effects on the quality of life that requires strict monitoring of prescriptions in older adults. Thus, the study aimed to assess potentially inappropriate medication use and its determinants among older adults.

A cross-sectional study on the proper administration of eye medications and its determinants among outpatients attending Brhan Aini Ophthalmic National Referral Hospital in Asmara, Eritrea.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the administration technique of eye medications, its determinants and disposal practices among ophthalmic outpatients.

Design: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted.

Setting: Brhan Aini Ophthalmic National Referral Hospital in Asmara, Eritrea.

Determinants of Child Marriage and Its Related Adverse Health Outcomes Among Married Women in Sub-Region of Serejeka, Central Region in Eritrea: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Child marriage is a fundamental violation of human rights that can have numerous adverse effects on girls' social, mental and physical health and wellbeing. Marriage in Eritrea relatively occurs earlier for women. This study aimed to assess the magnitude of child marriage, determinants and its related adverse health outcomes in five selected villages of the sub-region of Serejeka in Central region of Eritrea.

Self-medication with ophthalmic drugs and its associated factors among ophthalmic patients attending three hospitals in Asmara, Eritrea: a cross-sectional study.

Objective: To assess the prevalence and practice of self-medication and its associated factors among ophthalmic patients.

Design: An analytical cross-sectional study design was employed.

Setting: Three hospitals inAsmara, Eritrea.

Patient-Centered Communication Among Pharmacy Professionals Working in Hospitals and Drug Retail Outlets in Asmara, Eritrea: Knowledge, Attitude, Self-Efficacy and Barriers.

Background: Globally, preventable medication-related problems are increasing constantly. Patient-centered communication (PCC) is essential to identify and reduce the occurrence of drug-related problems such as inappropriate use of medications, adverse drug reactions and non-adherence. In Eritrea, personal observations and anecdotal reports showed that pharmacy professionals' practice towards PCC was unsatisfactory.

Drug prescribing and dispensing practices in regional and national referral hospitals of Eritrea: Evaluation with WHO/INRUD core drug use indicators.

Rational use of medicine (RUM) for all medical conditions is crucial in attaining quality of healthcare and medical care for patients and the community as a whole. However, the actual medicine use pattern is not consistent with that of the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline and is often irrational in many healthcare setting, particularly in developing countries. Thus, the aim of the study was to evaluate rational medicine use based on WHO/International Network of Rational Use of Drugs (INRUD) core drug use indicators in Eritrean National and Regional Referral hospitals.

Herbal Medicine (HM) among pharmacy professionals working in drug retail outlets in Asmara, Eritrea: knowledge, attitude and prevalence of use.

Background: Globally, the usage of herbal medicines (HMs) is increasingly growing in treating and preventing various ailments. Although, HMs play a vital role in healthcare, concerns have been raised over their safety. Since pharmacy professionals are at the right position to provide patients with evidence-based information on herbals, they should be knowledgeable enough on the subject matter.

Knowledge and Perceptions of Nurse Practitioners on Adverse Events Following Immunization and Barriers to Reporting in the Central Region, Eritrea: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Though vaccines are generally considered extremely safe and effective, they have been associated with some serious adverse events following immunization (AEFIs). AEFIs might be related to either the vaccine, immunization error, anxiety related to immunization, and/or coincidental events. If they are not reported and investigated in timely fashion, they can create rumors and confidence gaps.

Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs): Usage and co-prescription with other potentially interacting drugs in elderly: A cross-sectional study.

Globally, usage of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in elderly with chronic pain has been reported as frequent. Though NSAIDs are fundamental in maintaining their quality of life, the risk of polypharmacy, drug interactions and adverse effects is of paramount importance as the elderly usually require multiple medications for their co-morbidities. If prescriptions are not appropriately monitored and managed, they are likely to expose patients to serious drug interactions and potentially fatal adverse effects.

Assessment of completeness and legibility of handwritten prescriptions in six community chain pharmacies of Asmara, Eritrea: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Incompleteness and illegibility of prescriptions are prescription errors that account for a high proportion of medication errors that could potentially result in serious adverse effects. Thus, the objective of this study was to assess the completeness and legibility of prescriptions filled in the community chain pharmacies.

Methods: An analytical and cross-sectional study was conducted in the six government owned community chain pharmacies of Asmara, Eritrea from June 3rd to 10th, 2019 using a stratified random sampling technique.

Prescribing practices using WHO prescribing indicators and factors associated with antibiotic prescribing in six community pharmacies in Asmara, Eritrea: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Antibiotics require more prudent prescribing, dispensing and administration than other medicines because these medicines are at a greater risk of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Studying the current medicine use practices and factors affecting the prescribing of an antibiotic would help decision makers to draft policies that would enable a more rational use of medicines.

Methods: A prospective, descriptive, and cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the current prescribing practices including antibiotics use in six community pharmacies in Asmara.