Assessment of quality of prescription by dental students.

OBJECTIVE: The main objective of this study was to evaluate changes in prescribing pattern of Dentistry students throughout academic course. METHODS: A case of non-complicated dental extraction was presented to all students that had completed their pharmacology coursework (from 4th semester to the last semester). The students were grouped according to year of study and were asked to prescribe paracetamol for pain control. A maximal score of 5 points was calculated from three subscores for identification of professional and patient (1.0 point), drug concentration, dosage, and quantity (1.5 points); and drug information, instructions, and warnings (2.5 points). The data were expressed as medians [95% confidence intervals (CIs)] and were compared using the Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Dunn's post hoc test. A p<0.05 value was considered statistically significant. A total of 92 students participated the study (2nd year, N=12; 3rd year, N=32; 4th year, N=28; 5th year, N=20). RESULTS: The quality of prescription showed improvement between 2nd-year students [2.0 (1.5-2.5)] and 4th-year students [3.2 (2.9-3.5), p<0.05]; 4th- and 5th-year students [3.6 (3.5-3.8)] performed similarly. Lack of information about pharmacological treatment, side effects, and administration route were the major deficiencies observed. CONCLUSION: Although Dentistry students present a general improvement in their prescribing performance, deficiencies remain even in advanced students. The data suggest that the teaching of good prescription practices should extend throughout the later phases of preprofessional dental education.

Assessment of quality of prescription by dental students

Objective: The main objective of this study was to evaluate changes in prescribing pattern of Dentistry students throughout academic course. Methods: A case of non-complicated dental extraction was presented to all students that had completed their pharmacology coursework (from 4th semester to the last semester). The students were grouped according to year of study and were asked to prescribe paracetamol for pain control. A maximal score of 5 points was calculated from three subscores for identification of professional and patient (1.0 point), drug concentration, dosage, and quantity (1.5 points); and drug information, instructions, and warnings (2.5 points). The data were expressed as medians [95% confidence intervals (CIs)] and were compared using the Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Dunn's post hoc test. A p<0.05 value was considered statistically significant. A total of 92 students participated the study (2nd year, N=12; 3rd year, N=32; 4th year, N=28; 5th year, N=20). Results: The quality of prescription showed improvement between 2nd-year students [2.0 (1.5-2.5)] and 4th-year students [3.2 (2.9-3.5), p<0.05]; 4th- and 5th-year students [3.6 (3.5-3.8)] performed similarly. Lack of information about pharmacological treatment, side effects, and administration route were the major deficiencies observed. Conclusion: Although Dentistry students present a general improvement in their prescribing performance, deficiencies remain even in advanced students. The data suggest that the teaching of good prescription practices should extend throughout the later phases of preprofessional dental education. .

[Analysis of the self-medication pattern among Brazilian elderly women]. / Análise do perfil de automedicação em mulheres idosas Brasileiras.

The elderly consume more medications than other age groups, being susceptible to irrational use of therapeutic drugs. This work describes a cross-sectional study that evaluated self-medication practiced by elderly women, who were assisted at the Elderly Care Facility of the hospital of the Catholic University of Brasilia. The socio-economical variables analyzed were age group, educational level and monthly family income. The pharmaceuticals were evaluated according to prevalence, suitability for the age group and possible drug interactions. Among the 218 patients interviewed, 26% declared self-medication practices, part of them (40%) were prescription drugs. Anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic drugs were the most frequently consumed without professional orientation, followed by phytotherapeutic/natural and cardiovascular agents. Among the self-medicated patients 65% had incomplete or no formal basic education whereas 32% had earnings equal to or inferior to one minimum wage. The mean consumption of drugs by self-medication was not influenced by socio-economical variables. The practice of self-medication involves potentially harmful drug interactions and use of agents inappropriate for the age group.

Análise do perfil de automedicação em mulheres idosas brasileiras / Analysis of the self-medication pattern among Brazilian elderly women

Idosos compõem o grupo etário mais medicalizado na sociedade, o que pode levar ao uso irracional de fármacos. Este trabalho descreve estudo transversal que avaliou a automedicação de idosas atendidas no ambulatório de Atenção ao Idoso do Hospital da Universidade Católica de Brasília. As variáveis socioeconômicas analisadas consistiram na faixa etária, escolaridade e renda familiar mensal. As classes medicamentosas envolvidas em automedicação foram analisadas conforme prevalência, adequação à faixa etária e possíveis interações medicamentosas. Das 218 pacientes entrevistadas, 26 por cento relataram praticar automedicação. Parcela (40 por cento) desses medicamentos era de venda sob prescrição. Medicamentos antiinflamatórios, analgésicos e antipiréticos foram os mais usados sem orientação profissional, seguido pelos fitoterápicos/medicamentos naturais e cardiovasculares. Entre as pacientes automedicadas, 65 por cento apresentaram baixa escolaridade, enquanto 32 por cento apresentaram renda menor ou igual a um salário mínimo. O consumo por automedicação não se mostrou variar conforme a condição socioeconômica. Foram observadas interações medicamentosas potencialmente severas e uso impróprio envolvendo os eventos de automedicação.

The elderly consume more medications than other age groups, being susceptible to irrational use of therapeutic drugs. This work describes a cross-sectional study that evaluated self-medication practiced by elderly women, who were assisted at the Elderly Care Facility of the hospital of the Catholic University of Brasilia. The socio-economical variables analyzed were age group, educational level and monthly family income. The pharmaceuticals were evaluated according to prevalence, suitability for the age group and possible drug interactions. Among the 218 patients interviewed, 26 percent declared self-medication practices, part of them (40 percent) were prescription drugs. Anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic drugs were the most frequently consumed without professional orientation, followed by phytotherapeutic/natural and cardiovascular agents. Among the self-medicated patients 65 percent had incomplete or no formal basic education whereas 32 percent had earnings equal to or inferior to one minimum wage. The mean consumption of drugs by self-medication was not influenced by socio-economical variables. The practice of self-medication involves potentially harmful drug interactions and use of agents inappropriate for the age group.

Access to essential drugs in 11 Brazilian cities: a community-based evaluation and action method.

The Brazilian Institute for Defense of Consumers' (IDEC) health and legal professionals gathered with partner associations and researchers from the University of Brasilia shaped this study to develop and apply simple methods for community and consumer organizations to monitor the availability of essential drugs for primary care in their local public health services. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 11 Brazilian cities. The instrument gave priority to the feasibility of use by community organizations over statistically representative designs. It also worked from the assumption that all Health Centers should stock the drugs recommended for ambulatory care on Brazil's national list of essential drugs, in agreement to federal legislation. The instrument was found to be feasible for use by the participating organizations, and its utilization revealed a picture of severe deficiency of essential medicines in the Brazilian public health system, expressed as an overall availability of only 55.4% of the 61 drugs investigated. Models for legal action in support of individual and community access to essential drugs were developed by IDEC's legal staff to assist community organization in following up the results with an action program. These models were made available on the organization's web-site and widely disseminated nationally.