The unmet drug-related needs of patients with diabetes in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Diabetes is a major health concern globally and in Ethiopia. Ensuring optimal diabetes management through minimizing drug therapy problems is important for improving patient outcomes. However, data on the prevalence and factors associated with unmet drug-related needs in patients with diabetes in Ethiopia is limited. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the prevalence of unmet drug-related needs among patients with diabetes mellitus in Ethiopia. Methods: A thorough exploration of databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Hinari, and Embase and Google Scholar, was conducted to identify pertinent studies. Inclusion criteria involved observational studies that reported the prevalence of unmet drug-related needs in Ethiopian patients with diabetes. The quality of the studies was assessed using Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) checklists. A random-effects meta-analysis was employed to amalgamate data on study characteristics and prevalence estimates, followed by subsequent subgroup and sensitivity analyses. Graphical and statistical assessments were employed to evaluate publication bias. Results: Analysis of twelve studies involving 4,017 patients revealed a pooled prevalence of unmet drug-related needs at 74% (95% CI 63-83%). On average, each patient had 1.45 unmet drug-related needs. The most prevalent type of unmet need was ineffective drug therapy, 35% (95% CI 20-50). Type 2 diabetes, retrospective study designs, and studies from the Harari Region were associated with a higher prevalence. Frequently reported factors associated with the unmet drug-related needs includes multiple comorbidities, older age, and polypharmacy. Notably, the results indicated significant heterogeneity (I2 = 99.0%; p value < 0.001), and Egger's regression test revealed publication bias with p<0.001. Conclusion: The prevalence of unmet drug-related needs among diabetes patients with diabetes in Ethiopia is high with the most prevalent issue being ineffective drug therapy. Targeted interventions are needed; especially patients on multiple medications, advanced age, with comorbidities, and prolonged illness duration to improve diabetes management and outcomes. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero, identifier CRD42024501096.

Perspectives of compounding pharmacists on alcohol-based hand sanitizer production and utilization for COVID-19 prevention in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A descriptive phenomenology study.

BACKGROUND: Globally, the safety of patients and healthcare providers is at risk due to health care-associated infections (HCAIs). World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend using alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) for hand hygiene in healthcare settings to prevent HCAIs. Irrational use of ABHR will have undesirable consequences including wastage of products, exposure of healthcare providers to infections and emergence of microbial resistance to the alcohol in hand sanitizers. This study aimed to explore the perspective and experiences of compounding pharmacists on production and utilization of ABHR solution for coronavirus disease in 2019 (COVID-19) prevention in public hospitals of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. METHODS: A descriptive qualitative study using in-depth interview of 13 key-informants serving as compounding pharmacists in public hospitals of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, was conducted. The study participants were identified and selected by purposive sampling. All transcribed interviews were subjected to thematic analysis and transcripts were analyzed manually. FINDINGS: The compounding pharmacists in this study had a mean age of 30.6 (±3.1) years and nine of the thirteen participants were men. Ten participants believed that the compounding practice in their respective sites followed the principles of good compounding practice. More than half of the participants did not believe that ABHR products were used rationally in health facilities. They argued that users did not have enough awareness when and how to use sanitizers. Most of the interviewees reported that compounding personnel had no formal training on ABHR solution production. Study participants suggested incentive mechanisms and reimbursements for experts involved in the compounding of ABHR solutions. CONCLUSION: Three of the compounding pharmacists indicated that ABHR production in their setting lack compliance to good compounding practice due to inadequate compounding room, quality control tests, manpower and equipment. Despite this, most study participants preferred the in-house ABHR products than the commercially available ones. Thus, training, regular monitoring and follow-up of the hospital compounding services can further build staff confidence.