Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / Studies on rational medicine use (RMU) have mainly focused on identifying, quantifying, and addressing irrational use without exploring reasons behind this irrational use. In addition, minimal work has been conducted on irrational use of medicines in the context of the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). This PhD research examined medicine use in Eswatini, (previously Swaziland) between April 2017 and March 2019, with a focus on prescribing practices linked to specific diagnoses. It further explored factors influencing RMU, which included testing the effects of a short intervention - prescription audit and feedback coupled with small group education - on prescribing practices in health facilities.

FundaÃÃo Cearense de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento Cientifico e TecnolÃgico / Um estudo transversal sobre a utilizaÃÃo de medicamentos fitoterÃpicos nas Unidades BÃsicas de AtenÃÃo à SaÃde da FamÃlia (UBASF) do municÃpio de MaracanaÃ-Ce foi realizado em duas etapas entre agosto de 2002 e janeiro de 2003; Primeiramente, foram entrevistados nas farmÃcias das UBASF, mediante questionÃrio estruturado, 226 usuÃrios maiores de 18 anos, com prescriÃÃo contendo medicamento fitoterÃpico; e posteriormente, utilizando-se metodologia qualitativa, foram selecionados 12 prescritores (6 mÃdicos e 6 enfermeiros) e 12 usuÃrios para um estudo aprofundado sobre a fitoterapia, considerando os aspectos sÃcio-culturais que envolvem tal prÃtica. Esta etapa foi realizada mediante entrevistas semi-estruturadas, gravadas, nos respectivos consultÃrios e residÃncias. Dos 226 usuÃrios entrevistados, 85,4% foram do sexo feminino e 14,6% do masculino, com mÃdia de idade de 38 anos; 94,2% receberam explicaÃÃo do prescritor quanto ao uso do fitoterÃpico; apenas 27,0% relacionaram o fitoterÃpico ao Programa farmÃcias Vivas; 63,1% jà havia utilizando o fitoterÃpico antes, dentre os quais, a maioria relatou sua eficiÃncia terapÃutica. Dos 542 medicamentos prescritos, 58% foram alopÃticos e 41,7% fitoterÃpicos; a mÃdia de medicamentos por prescriÃÃo foi de 2,39 e a mÃdia de fitoterÃpicos foi de 1,01%. Os fitoterÃpicos mais prescritos foram: o Xarope Expectorante (63,8%), o Sabonete de Alecrim (11,4%) e a Tintura de Mororà (11,4%). Dentre os 12 prescritores entrevistados, 91,66% afirmaram que prescrevem medicamentos fitoterÃpicos com freqÃÃncia e reconhecem sua eficiÃncia terapÃutica; o fator econÃmico tambÃm foi constantemente citado. Foi observada a homogeneidade das opiniÃes entre mÃdicos e enfermeiros; 100% dos prescritores reclamaram a quantidade insuficiente dos fitoterÃpicos em relaÃÃo à demanda. Dos 12 usurÃrios entrevistados nas residÃncias, todos demonstraram sua crenÃa na eficiÃncia dos fitoterÃpicos (caseiros ou das UBASF), geralmente relacionada à origem ânaturalâ dos mesmos, conceito legado da cultura empÃrica da comunidade; a referÃncia ao fator econÃmico como justificativa para o uso de produtos fitoterÃpicos foi insignificante. O presente estudo demonstrou que a Fitoterapia em Maracanaà à bastante aceita por usuÃrios e prescritores. Entretanto, o paÃs necessita de uma legislaÃÃo especÃfica para a produÃÃo de fitoterÃpicos na atenÃÃo primaria, que forneÃa subsÃdios aos Programas de Fitoterapia, no que concerne à realizaÃÃo de estudos de eficÃcia e toxicidade dos medicamentos produzidos, e de aÃÃes de FarmacovigilÃncia e controle de qualidade na produÃÃo e uso racional dos mesmos

Magister Public Health - MPH / Background: The irrational use of medicines, and increasingly antimicrobials, remains a key health problem in many developing countries including Zambia. Inappropriate, ineffective and inefficient use of medicines is common in health facilities at all levels. There are many factors influencing irrational prescribing and dispensing of antimicrobials including patients, prescribers, dispensers, the supply system (including industry influences), government regulations and medicines information and misinformation. Study aim: The aim of the study was to assess the rational use and availability of antimicrobials at primary level health facilities under the Lusaka district community health office, Zambia. Study design: The study was a cross-sectional descriptive study, with prospective and retrospective components. A standardized research methodology, including tools and indicators, adapted from the World Health Organization, was employed. Study population and sampling: The study population included all the 30 government primary level health facilities (health centres) in Lusaka District, from which 20 primary health facilities were sampled using a combination of purposive and random sampling. Using the WHO standard indicators of rational drug use, this study assessed 800 patient encounters, 520 medicines inventory records, and other baseline data, from 20 health facilities at three different levels under the Lusaka district community health office, Zambia. Data collection: The data collection tools were numbered and labeled. Tool 1: Prescribing Indicator Form was used to collect prescribing data; Tool 2: Patient Care (Pharmacy) Form was used to record dispensing data; Tool 3: Antimicrobial Availability Form for recording data for the availability of the key indicator antimicrobials and their substitutes; Tool 4: Facility Indicator Consolidation Reporting Form was used for consolidating the data collected for each health facility under study; and Tool 5: Facility Medicines Use Indicator Consolidation Form was used for the consolidation of the drug use data for the entire study. Third year Pharmacy Technology students were trained for the data collection process. The patients were first observed from outside the prescriber's room and the dispensing area for consultation and dispensing times respectively, and then they were interviewed to collect the prescribing and dispensing data. The tools were pre-tested. Data analysis: After data checking and consolidation, quantitative data were categorized into continuous numerical variables. Calculations were done manually and using computerized analysis (Epi Info package) and presented as simple frequency and means. Ethics: Ethical clearance for the study was obtained from University of the Western Cape Senate Research Committee. Permission was obtained from the Lusaka Provincial and District health offices, being the authorities that are overseeing the health facilities included in the study. Furthermore, permission was obtained from the health centre in-charges. Consent was obtained from healthcare providers and patients. Key results and discussion: The study found that at the primary level facilities there were more Clinical Officers (55%) than Medical Doctors (25%) and Registered Nurses (20%) in charge of prescribing. The main dispensers were Pharmacy Technologists (85%); there were no Pharmacists available in any of the facilities. A third [259 (32.4 %)] of all the 800 patients in the study were children below 12 years of age. Across the clinics, a mean of 2.94 medicines were prescribed per prescription, with an extremely low rate of prescribing drugs by generic name (36.7%). The proportion of prescriptions including an antibiotic was 36.2 % and 3.4 % included an injectable drug. Linking the antimicrobials and injections to patient diagnoses indicated that many were probably irrational, prescribing decisions. Amoxicillin and metronidazole were by far the most commonly prescribed antimicrobials at 32.0 % and 17.2 % of total antimicrobials, respectively. The essential drugs list was available in 80.0% of facilities and a high percentage of medicines were prescribed from the essential medicines list (81.2%). The overall mean percentage of medicines packages correctly labeled was considerably low at 44.8 %. The average consultation time was short at 4.0 (range 1-8.4) minutes, whereas the dispensing times were equally short and averaged at 116.6 (range 15-360) seconds, with the range of 15 to 360 seconds. The average percentage of first line antimicrobials available at health facilities was 79 %; and the average percentage of second line, substitute, antimicrobials available was 15 %. Conclusion: In line with studies from other settings, this medicines use study found considerable overuse and irrational use of antimicrobials in the primary health care clinics in Lusaka District. Irrational medicine prescribing was common and poor dispensing practices were also seen, resulting in poor use of and adherence to medicines and, consequently, poor therapeutic outcomes. Recommendations: Several recommendations have been formulated. They include: Reinforcing the Drug Therapeutic Committees (DTCs) at the national and the local facility level to help manage medicines use; clarification of prescribers and dispensers roles and responsibilities; development, enforcement or adaption of standard operating procedures (SOPS) for prescribing and dispensing; and improvement of prescribing and dispensing practices through introduction of appropriate education, supervision and audit.

Yes / Background Interventions to reduce medicines discontinuity at transitions during and reinforced after discharge are effective. However, few studies have linked hospital-based counseling with onward referral for community pharmacy-based follow-up to support patients' medicines use. Objective To determine the effects of targeted hospital pharmacist counseling on discharge or targeted community pharmacy medicines reviews post-discharge on patients' knowledge of newly started medication. Methods The study was a controlled trial of targeted medicines discharge counseling provided by hospital pharmacists or follow-up post-discharge medicines review provided by community pharmacists compared with usual care (nurse counseling). Outcomes measured using a structured telephone survey conducted at two and four weeks after patients were discharged from hospital. Results Patients who received hospital pharmacist counseling were significantly more likely to report being told the purpose of their new medicine and how to take it versus those receiving usual care. Fewer than half of the patients who were allocated to receive a community pharmacy medicines review received one. Conclusions Patient knowledge of medicines newly prescribed in the hospital was increased by targeted counseling of hospital pharmacists. The findings suggest the need to improve the consistency of the information covered when providing counseling, perhaps by the implementation of a counseling checklist for use by all disciplines of staff involved in patient counseling. The potential of community pharmacy follow-up medicines review is currently undermined by several barriers to uptake. / The full-text of this article will be released for public view at the end of the publisher embargo on 14 May 2017.

Made available in DSpace on 2018-06-04T19:14:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2017-06-30 / Introdução: A distribuição de medicamentos é parte integrante do SUS, sendo a alternativa terapêutica mais utilizada na rede de assistência aos pacientes. Entretanto, é preciso uma visão ampliada quanto à forma de utilização dos insumos farmacêuticos pelos usuários, uma vez que a racionalidade do uso de medicamentos está diretamente relacionada à qualidade do serviço de saúde e constitui um elemento importante para a avaliação do mesmo. Objetivo: É diante deste cenário, que o objetivo desse trabalho, foi caracterizar elementos da assistência farmacêutica no cuidado à saúde na ABS. Método: Do ponto de vista metodológico, optou-se por analisar o material de uma investigação de natureza cartográfica, realizada no ano de 2014 em sete UBS, e a partir deste empírico identificar cenas do cotidiano, que conectadas umas às outras, produziram planos de visibilidade para a questão do uso de medicamentos e da assistência farmacêutica. Além disso, foi realizado um seminário compartilhado junto aos atores institucionais das UBS estudadas, onde novos e marcantes elementos da assistência farmacêutica surgiram, abrindo a possibilidade de novas perspectivas sobre o material empírico e representando um novo momento de produção/ampliação do campo. Resultados: A partir dos planos de visibilidade foi possível identificar o hiato que existe, entre as diretrizes políticas relacionadas à assistência farmacêutica e o cotidiano na atenção básica: o uso (ir)racional de medicamentos e o papel que o profissional farmacêutico vem desempenhando. O estudo permitiu constatar também o quanto a farmácia é um observatório privilegiado da gestão e produção do cuidado, sendo um poderoso analisador deste cuidado: a conturbada relação entre a autonomia médica e a assistência farmacêutica; o agir do usuário e seu protagonismo; o isolamento do setor e equipe de farmácia. Conclusão: Ao contrastar aquilo que é prescrito na política com o material empírico, foi possível dissipar algo como uma cortina de fumaça, que se faz presente no cotidiano do trabalho na atenção básica e omite uma realidade muito distante daquilo que se considera como desejável, quando pensamos em termos da assistência farmacêutica. O que acontece depois que o usuário deixa a UBS com sua sacola cheia de medicamentos retirados na farmácia, parece ainda ficar oculto aos olhos dos profissionais de saúde. Ainda existe um longo caminho a ser percorrido até que de fato os serviços clínicos farmacêuticos incorporem os serviços básicos de saúde. / Introduction: The distribution of medicines is a integrant part of the SUS, being the most used therapeutic alternative in the network of patient care. However, it is necessary to have an expanded view on the use of pharmaceutical inputs by users, since the rational use of medicines is directly related to the quality of the health service and constitutes an important element for the evaluation of the same. Objective: It is against this background, that the objective of this work was to characterize elements of pharmaceutical assistance in health care in Basic Attention to Health. Method: From the methodological point of view, it was opted to analyze the material of an investigation of cartographic nature, carried out in 2014 in seven Primary Care Unit Health, and from this empirical one to identify daily scenes, that connected to each other, produced plans of visibility to the issue of medicines use and pharmaceutical assistance. In addition, a shared seminar was perfomed together with institutional actors of the Primary Care Unit Health studied, where new and important elements of pharmaceutical assistance emerged, opening up the possibility of new perspectives on the empirical material and representing a new moment of production / expansion of the field. Results: From the visibility plans, it was possible to identify the gap that exists between the political guidelines related to pharmaceutical assistance and daily life in basic attention: the rational use of medications and the role that the pharmaceutical professional has been playing. The study also showed how the pharmacy is a privileged observatory of the management and production of care, being a powerful analyzer of this care: the troubled relationship between medical autonomy and pharmaceutical assistance; The user's action and its protagonism; The isolation of the pharmacy sector and staff. Conclusion: By contrasting what is prescribed in politics with the empirical material, it was possible to dissipate something like a smokescreen, which is present in the daily work of basic attention and omits a reality far removed from what is considered desirable, when we think in terms of pharmaceutical assistance. What happens after the user leaves Primary Care Unit Health with his bag full of medicines withdrawn at the pharmacy, still seems to be hidden from the eyes of health professionals. There is still a long way to go until in fact pharmaceutical clinical services incorporate basic health services. / BV UNIFESP: Teses e dissertações