DRUG PRESCRIBING PATTERN FOR UNDER-FIVES IN A PAEDIATRIC CLINIC IN SOUTH-WESTERN NIGERIA

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The audit of drug prescribing pattern in under-five children is essential in identifyingthe various types of non-rational prescribing such as polypharmacy and irrational use of antimicrobials.The primary objective of this study was to determine the drug prescribing pattern for children aged belowfive years attending the paediatric outpatient clinic of a tertiary hospital in Ado-Ekiti, South-WestNigeria.METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out using the medical records of patients who attendedthe paediatric clinic of the hospital between April 1 and October 30, 2013. The medical records ofpatients aged below five years were selected monthly for the period of the study using a regular intervalratio. Drug use indicators were assessed using the WHO guidelines on investigation of drug use in healthcare facilities.RESULTS: There were 293(55.7%) prescriptions collected from male patients and 233(44.3% fromfemale patients with a total of 1369 prescribed drugs (2.6 ± 1.1 drugs per prescription). A total of threehundred and seventy-four (71.1%) patients had at least one antibiotic prescribed with antibioticsaccounting for 28.2% of all drugs prescribed, while 13.5% of all encounters had an injection prescribed.Prescribing by generic name was done in 68.9 ± 26.5% of all prescribed medications, and 60.4% of allprescribed medications were from the latest version of the Nigerian Essential Drug List. Three hundredand twelve children (59.3%) had at least one anti-malarial drug prescribed while analgesics drugsaccounted for 6.1% of all prescriptions.CONCLUSION: This study showed that over-prescription of antibiotics, significant use of injections andprescribing by generic name are real issues among Nigerian paediatric prescribers.