Promoting Appropriate Drug Use in Missionary Health Facilities in Cameroon - EDM Research Series No. 028
(1998; 80 pages) View the PDF document
Table of Contents
View the documentAcknowledgements
View the documentAbbreviations
Close this folderExecutive summary
View the documentBackground
View the documentMethodology
View the documentKey findings
View the documentConclusion
View the document1. Introduction
View the document2. Background
View the document3. Literature review
Open this folder and view contents4. Objectives and significance
Open this folder and view contents5. Overall approach and design
Open this folder and view contents6. Results
Open this folder and view contents7. Analysis
Open this folder and view contents8. Discussion
Open this folder and view contents9. Recommendations
View the document10. Conclusion
Open this folder and view contents11. Appendices
View the documentReferences
 

Conclusion

This study contributes to the growing body of literature which suggests that training and supervision are effective methods of promoting appropriate drug use. While standard treatment guidelines and essential drugs lists are an important step, this research corroborates the proposition that these measures by themselves are insufficient to reduce inappropriate prescription practices. The study goes a step further than previous studies and begins to identify characteristics of effective supervision and training. Specifically, on-site supervision and regular supervision by doctors were more effective methods. Training prescribing personnel for at least six weeks and dispensing personnel for at least one week also correlated with more appropriate drug use. At least six weeks of training seemed particularly effective in influencing complex prescribing behaviour such as antibiotic prescription. Replication of this study in other environments would be necessary to confirm these findings.

 

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Last updated: May 3, 2013