Availability of antibiotics as over-the-counter drugs in pharmacies: a threat to public health in Vietnam

被引:64
作者
Duong, DV
Binns, CW
Van Le, T
机构
[1] Curtin Univ Technol, Sch Publ Hlth, Perth, WA 6001, Australia
[2] Hanoi Sch Pharm, Hanoi, Vietnam
[3] Hanoi Sch Publ Hlth, Dept Pharmaceut Management, Hanoi, Vietnam
关键词
antibiotics; purchaser; pharmacy; Vietnam; self-medication;
D O I
10.1046/j.1365-3156.1997.d01-213.x
中图分类号
R1 [预防医学、卫生学];
学科分类号
1004 ; 120402 ;
摘要
A survey on the use of antibiotics purchased through retail pharmacies was conducted in the Badinh district of Hanoi, Vietnam. The survey found that purchasers visit a pharmacy when they or those who felt they needed antibiotics had minor symptoms such as cough (34.1%), sore throat (32.5%), stomach upsets (10.0%) and diarrhoea (8.8%). The most often purchased antibiotics were ampicillin (31.1%), amoxyllin (16.7%), cotrimoxazol (11.6%), tetracycline (5.2%) and cephalexin (4.8%). The median of the purchased quantity was 10 tablets, the mean 11.34 tablets (95% CI 9.65-12.97). About 30% of the purchasers intended to take antibiotics for three days or less. The mean cost of a antibiotic purchase was US$1.27 (95% CI 1.06-1.39). The main reason for not taking a full course of antibiotics was not economic constraint, but the purchasers' poor knowledge about antibiotics. Logistic regression analysis indicates that age of purchasers, length of symptoms and kinds of treatment used before visiting a pharmacy could be used as predictive variables for the decision to buy antibiotics in preference to alternative drugs. Antibiotics are used when illness lasts longer than one week and antibiotics have not yet been taken. Antibiotics are also purchased by young rather than old people. The study documents the need for better health education about the rational use of antibiotics in the general public.
引用
收藏
页码:1133 / 1139
页数:7
相关论文
共 11 条
  • [1] ABRAMSON JH, 1994, SURVEY METHODS COMMU
  • [2] Chuc N.T.K., 1995, DOI MOI PRIVATE PHAR
  • [3] DUA V, 1994, SOC SCI MED, V38, P771
  • [4] HOMSMER DW, 1989, APPL LOGISTIC REGRES
  • [5] ANTIBIOTIC USE IN A RURAL-COMMUNITY IN BANGLADESH
    HOSSAIN, MM
    GLASS, RI
    KHAN, MR
    [J]. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY, 1982, 11 (04) : 402 - 405
  • [6] PURCHASE OF ANTIBIOTICS WITHOUT PRESCRIPTION IN MANILA, THE PHILIPPINES - INAPPROPRIATE CHOICES AND DOSES
    LANSANG, MA
    LUCASAQUINO, R
    TUPASI, TE
    MINA, VS
    SALAZAR, LS
    JUBAN, N
    LIMJOCO, TT
    NISPEROS, LE
    KUNIN, CM
    [J]. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL EPIDEMIOLOGY, 1990, 43 (01) : 61 - 67
  • [7] OBASIKIEBOR EE, 1987, J ANTIMICROB CHEMOTH, V21, P620
  • [8] TAO BH, 1994, STUDIES SUSCEPTIBILI, P50
  • [9] THAMLIKIRKUL V, 1987, J ANTIMICROB CHEMOTH, V21, P125
  • [10] TRACH DD, 1995, NATL DRUG POLICY REP