Background: Rational medicine use is essential to optimize quality of healthcare delivery and resource utilization. We aim to conduct a systematic review of changes in prescribing patterns in the WHO African region and comparison with WHO indicators in two time periods 1995-2005 and 2006-2015.
Methods: Systematic searches were conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of science, Africa-Wide Nipad, Africa Journals Online (AJOL), Google scholar and International Network for Rational Use of Drugs (INRUD) Bibliography databases to identify primary studies reporting prescribing indicators at primary healthcare centres (PHCs) in Africa. This was supplemented by a manual search of retrieved references. We assessed the quality of studies using a 14-point scoring system modified from the Downs and Black checklist with inclusions of recommendations in the WHO guidelines.
Results: Forty-three studies conducted in 11 African countries were included in the overall analysis. These studies presented prescribing indicators based on a total 141,323 patient encounters across 572 primary care facilities. The results of prescribing indicators were determined as follows; average number of medicines prescribed per patient encounter = 3.1 (IQR 2.3-4.8), percentage of medicines prescribed by generic name =68.0 % (IQR 55.4-80.3), Percentage of encounters with antibiotic prescribed =46.8 % (IQR 33.7-62.8), percentage of encounters with injection prescribed =25.0 % (IQR 18.7-39.5) and the percentage of medicines prescribed from essential medicines list =88.0 % (IQR 76.3-94.1). Prescribing indicators were generally worse in private compared with public facilities. Analysis of prescribing across two time points 1995-2005 and 2006-2015 showed no consistent trends.
Conclusions: Prescribing indicators for the African region deviate significantly from the WHO reference targets. Increased collaborative efforts are urgently needed to improve medicine prescribing practices in Africa with the aim of enhancing the optimal utilization of scarce resources and averting negative health consequences.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4993007 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12889-016-3428-8 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Assessment of the rational use of the most commonly prescribed antibiotics at the Department of Health of Ramallah in Palestine.
J Infect Dev Ctries
December 2024
Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy Nursing and Health Professions, Birzeit University, Birzeit, Palestine.
Introduction: Appropriate antibiotic use requires using the right antibiotic, at the right dose, for the right duration, and at the right time. Drug-resistant diseases cause numerous deaths globally a year, and antibiotic stewardship is a cornerstone in fighting antibiotic resistance. This study focuses on tracking the antibiotic prescribing practices in Palestine and improving future antibiotic prescribing.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOptimizing Management Strategies for Vocal Cord Nodules: A Systematic Review.
Cureus
December 2024
Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Department, King Abdulaziz Specialist Hospital, Taif, SAU.
Vocal cord nodules (VCNs) can be treated with a variety of therapeutic approaches, with controversy regarding the optimal management. This review provides an overview of the most commonly used management strategies and their outcomes to enhance decision making. We conducted a systematic literature search on PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus to include relevant original articles published in peer-reviewed journals from inception through April 2024.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPrescribing practices of corticosteroids in outpatient dermatology department of Injibara General Hospital, north-West Ethiopia, 2024.
Front Med (Lausanne)
January 2025
Public Health Officer, Ethiopian Statistical Service, Bahirdar, Ethiopia.
Background: Corticosteroids are among the most frequently prescribed drugs in the world because they are extremely effective for the relief of symptoms of many inflammatory and immune disorders and other conditions. Corticosteroids have been a mainstay of pharmacotherapy in dermatological practice.
Objective: This study aimed to assess prescribing practices of corticosteroids in outpatient dermatology department of Injibara General Hospital, North-West Ethiopia, 2024.
Identification of correlation relationships and establishment of regression models among multiple microbial indicators in reclaimed waters.
Environ Res
January 2025
Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control State Key Joint Laboratory, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microorganism Application and Risk Control (SMARC), School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China; Beijing Laboratory for Environmental Frontier Technologies, Beijing 100084, PR China; Research Institute for Environmental Innovation (Suzhou), Tsinghua, Jiangsu, Suzhou, 215163, PR China.
Monitoring and controlling microbial water quality is crucial for ensuring water reuse safety. In particular, existing water reuse guidelines and regulations normally prescribed coliform bacteria as microbial indicators. However, the use of non-unified coliform groups may bring difficulties to compare and optimize the conformity efforts on microbial surveillance.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!