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Background: Opioid use is a major global public health problem, affecting 16 million individuals worldwide. According to a 2023 WHO report, out of the 600,000 substance-related deaths worldwide, 80% were attributed to opioid use. Pharmacists play a vital role in reducing unnecessary opioid exposure while facilitating access to non-opioid alternatives. To do so, pharmacists should have sufficient knowledge regarding opioid-containing medications and a positive attitude about opioid use problems. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate community pharmacists' knowledge of opioid-containing medications and their attitude toward opioid use problems. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered, structured questionnaire distributed to 105 community pharmacists from July 1-30, 2023 in Bahir Dar City, Ethiopia. The tool included demographic information and questions designed to assess participants' knowledge and attitudes. Results: Out of the 105 pharmacists included in this study, majority were males (54.3%), nearly half held a bachelor's degree (49.5%), and slightly above one-third had over a decade experience (39%). Regarding knowledge and attitude towards opioids, 62 individuals (59%) exhibited good knowledge, and 64 (61%) demonstrated less stigma toward opioid usage. Factors affecting knowledge include: education level (AOR (95% CI): 8.43 (1.76-40.35) and 9.93 (1.04-85.33) for bachelors and postgraduates respectively and age 1.45 (1.20-1.77)]. Meanwhile, experience [AOR (95% CI): 4.64(1.20-17.90) and 4.29 (1.23-15.05)] for 5-9 years and ≥10 years respectively and education level [AOR (95% CI): 4.08 (1.40-11.93) for bachelors and 6.40 (1.42-28.96)] for postgraduates were linked to attitude. Conclusion: A gap in knowledge and more stigmatizing behavior was observed among community pharmacists. These findings imply the importance of tailored educational interventions to address knowledge gaps and promote positive attitudes toward opioid usage among community pharmacists. Therefore, it is imperative to deliver up-to-date information on opioids, emphasizing their high addiction potential, to ensure pharmacists are well-equipped with the latest information.
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OBJECTIVE: A pronounced burden is evident in individuals with asthma, with approximately half of them not adhering to their prescribed medication. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the pooled prevalence of anti-asthma medications non-adherence in Ethiopia. DATA SOURCES: A comprehensive search was conducted across multiple electronic databases including PubMed, Africa Index Medicus, Science Direct, Hinari, and a search engine, Google Scholar from October 5 to 20, 2023. In addition, digital research repositories from Addis Ababa and Bahir Dar University were accessed. DATA SELECTION: The eligibility criteria was employed to screen studies after uploading search results to EndNote software to remove duplicates first. Then, two investigators, CT and BBT, independently assessed titles, abstracts, and the full text of all retrieved references to identify potentially eligible studies. RESULT: This meta-analysis, which was conducted in Ethiopia, and included 11 full-text articles, revealed a pooled asthma medication non-adherence level of 51.20% (95% CI 35.20%, 67.20%) with substantial heterogeneity (I2 = 99.08%). The review has also identified factors predicting non-adherence among asthmatic patients: free (health service) (AOR: 0.31, 95% CI 0.18-0.54), poor knowledge (AOR: 2.85, 95% CI 1.61-5.05), absence of formal education (AOR: 3.01, 95% CI 1.72-5.25), history of previous ADR (AOR: 8.57, 95% CI 1.12-65.3), and the presence of Co- morbidity(AOR: 3.28, 95% CI 2.014-5.68), had shown association with asthma medication non-adherence. CONCLUSION: Asthma medication non-adherence is notably high in Ethiopia. Addressing medication non-adherence requires a comprehensive approach, including clear communication between healthcare providers, patient education, and addressing financial barriers to ensure better adherence in asthma patients.
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INTRODUCTION: Irrational medicine use is a global problem, and one of its manifestation is inappropriate prescribing that occurs when medicines are not prescribed in accordance with the guideline. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to assess prescription completeness and drug use pattern of the hospital using the WHO core drug use indicators. METHODS: 1000 prescriptions were collected retrospectively from prescriptions written for 1 year from outpatient pharmacies of the hospital. Exit interview was employed to assess patient care indicators. The health facility indicators were checked by assessing the presence of drug formulary and availability of key medicines at the facility. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. RESULTS: It was found that only name of the patients was filled in all the prescriptions. Other informations were below the standard. The average number of drugs per prescription was 1.65. Percentages of encounter by generic name, with antibiotic and injections, were 85.78%, 41%, and 25%, respectively. The percentage of drugs prescribed from an essential drug list was 98.48%. The mean consultation time and dispensing time were 14.49 and 2.16 minutes, respectively. More than half patients had knowledge on drug dispensed to them (68%). The percentage of drugs actually dispensed was 65%, but none of the drugs dispensed were adequately labelled. A copy of EDL and 84% of the key drugs were available in the hospital. CONCLUSION: From the results of our study, it can be concluded that all prescriptions were not complete, and except the average number of drugs prescribed per encounter, the other drug use pattern indicators were out of the WHO recommendation. Therefore, effective intervention program, like training, for promotion of rational drug use practice was recommended.