Abstract

ASSESSMENT OF OUTPATIENTS' MEDICAL PRESCRIPTIONS' LEGIBILITY, COMPLETENESS, AND RATIONAL US OF MEDICINES: SUDAN STUDY.

Kamal Addin Mohammad Ahmad Idris*, Tasneem Al-tom Al-Talib

Abstract

Medication prescriptions have to be legible, complete and rational.Many studies in Sudan and globally, proved otherwise. This study mainobjectives the assessment of the legibility, completeness and rationalityof outpatient prescriptions in Sudan. Materials and Methods: Threehundreds and ninety five [395] randomly selected prescription fromdifferent parts of Sudan were studied. Results: the overall averagerecorded result for prescriptions legibility was 273 [69.27%], patient’sdemographic elements33[8.44%], prescriber’s identification elementswere 167[42.78%],inscription elements were 240 [60.77%], the resultsfor the rationality of medicines prescribing based on World HealthOrganization [WHO] indicators, revealed that antibiotics/prescription[55.8%], and prescribing in generic names [47.6%] wereboth out of advised WHO limits. The use of injections [21.51%] and the number of medicines/prescription [1.22] were however within the WHO optimal cut-off limits [1.4-1.8] and [24.1%]respectively. Pearson Chi-Square Test revealed significant correlations between the use ofmedications' trade names and: the number of drugs per prescription [P= 0.019], the use of themetric system [P=0.000], the number of prescribed antibiotics [p= 0.001], and the legibility ofhandwritten prescriptions [p= 0.10]. The prescriber's specialty showed significant correlationwith the use of the metric system in prescriptions [p = 0.005], and injections prescribing[p=0.02], respectively. Printed prescriptions were significantly correlated with private sectorprescription [p= 0.022].Conclusion: Studied prescriptions were incomplete, not satisfactorily legible, and were only partially rational. All Prescribers, especially the juniors, shall be well and continuously trained on prescribing. Proper prescribing guidelines shall be instituted and enacted.

Keywords: Outpatients, Medical Prescriptions, legibility, Completeness, Rational Prescribing, Sudan.