Determinants of dispensing antibiotics without prescription in Eritrea: a mixed-method qualitative study on pharmacy professionals' perspective
| Autor: | Sirak Tesfamariam, Eyasu H. Tesfamariam, Mulugeta Russom, Dawit G. Weldemariam, Merhawi Bahta |
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| Rok vydání: | 2021 |
| Předmět: |
medicine.medical_specialty
Exploratory research Pharmacy Eritrea Global Health health & safety quality in health care Nursing Health care medicine Humans Medical prescription Health policy Pharmacies business.industry Public health public health health policy General Medicine Focus group Anti-Bacterial Agents Prescriptions Medicine epidemiology business qualitative research Qualitative research |
| Zdroj: | BMJ Open BMJ Open, Vol 11, Iss 8 (2021) |
| ISSN: | 2044-6055 |
| Popis: | ObjectiveAntimicrobial resistance is a global public health challenge. Dispensing of antibiotics without prescription (DAWP), a major contributor to antibiotic resistance, is extensive in Eritrea. This study was, therefore, aimed at deeply understanding, qualitatively, the pharmacy professionals’ perspective on the factors that trigger DAWP and how this practice could be mitigated.DesignA qualitative exploratory study design was employed.SettingDrug retail outlets of Asmara, capital of Eritrea, and pharmaceutical services of Eritrea.ParticipantsThirty pharmacy professionals who were owners and employees of the drug retail outlets stationed in Asmara and six key informants from the pharmaceutical services of all administrative regions of Eritrea, selected purposively, were the study participants.Data collection and analysisThe data were collected using focus group discussions and key informant interviews between March and September 2020. The collected data were transcribed verbatim, translated to English and finally thematically analysed using an inductive approach.ResultsThe main triggering factors were related to the drug retail outlet owners, dispensers, healthcare system and patients. Knowledge and attitude-based motivation, economic interest, inadequate services in health facilities, weak regulatory enforcement, inadequate training, trust and satisfaction of patients, previous successful experience, seriousness of a condition and saving time and money were reported among others as determinants of DAWP.ConclusionsThe triggering factors to DAWP were found to be very complex and some of them were important that might require immediate attention from policymakers. Ensuring readily available and accessible healthcare services, empowering medicines regulation and continuing sensitisation of dispensers are highly recommended to minimise DAWP. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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