Evaluation of psychotropic drugs utilization in a Nigerian psychiatric hospital
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Abstract
Background: Information on drug utilization studies in psychiatry is rare in Nigeria and could be used in the evaluation of healthcare delivery systems. There is need to monitor drug use practices especially in psychiatry to help improve prescribing habits and consequences on the population.
Objectives: To determine the prescribing pattern and assess the health facility indicators in a tertiary mental health facility in Lagos, Nigeria.
Method: A prospective cross sectional study involving the use of six hundred prescriptions selected through systematic random sampling was carried out in the outpatient unit of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Yaba (FNPHY), Lagos from August to December 2013. The prescribing pattern and health facility indicators were measured. Use of psychotropic drugs and the incidence of psychiatric disorders were also assessed.
Results: Of the 600 prescription, 336 (56%) belonged to female patients while 264 (44%) belonged to male patients. Average number of drugs per prescription was 3.3, percentage of drugs prescribed by generic name was 72.6%, percentage of encounters with an antibiotic prescribed was 1.5%, percentage of prescriptions with an injection was 29.5%, drugs prescribed from Essential Drugs List (EDL) was 62.1% while drugs available at the point of dispensing was 85.7%. A copy of the National EDL or hospital drug formulary was not available. Schizophrenia and delusional disorder cases were predominant (48.3%), out of which 43.1% were males and 56.9% females. The antipsychotics had the highest prescribing frequency (94.7%).
Conclusion: The prescribing pattern of psychotropics was characterized by polypharmacy, and prescribing by generic name. Assessment of the health facility indicators showed availability of key drugs and non availability of a copy of the Essential Drugs List or a hospital formulary. The study also reports high incidence of schizophrenia and depressive disorders in the facility.
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