Eelco Boonstra
Labelling and patient knowledge of dispensed drugs as quality indicators in primary care in Botswana
objectives assess quality dispensing patient knowledge drugs dispensed primary care botswanasetting thirty randomly assigned primary healthcare facilities three districts botswanaparticipants patients visiting clinics health postsdesign analysis data prospective participative observations drug dispensing process interview patients knowledge drugs received immediately dispensingthe quality drug labelling assessed calculating mean labelling scores composed five dispensing attributes name patient name strength dosage volume drug incorrect labelling0 1 point correct labelling attribute maximum score5mean knowledge scores obtained immediately dispensing patient recall name dosage drug duration treatment reason prescription incorrect recall0 1 point correct recall attribute maximum score4results 2994 consecutive patient consultations analysedthe mean labelling score 275family welfare educators pharmacy technicians scored highest 315 298 respectively untrained staff lowest 260factors independently associated labelling score analgesics v drugs district health posts v clinics education prescriber nurse best years experience prescriber 411 years bestthe mean patient knowledge score 250the reason prescription drugs dosage duration treatment name drugs recalled 92 83 44 31 patients respectivelythe qualification level dispenser strongest factor independently associated knowledge scoreantibiotics second lowest score labelling 239 patient knowledge 239conclusion trained dispensing staff provided satisfactory quality labellingpatients fair knowledge drugs dispensedthe knowledge drugs dispensed family welfare educators less satisfactorythe labelling score useful indicator quality dispensing knowledge score quality prescribing dispensingthese indicators added list patient care indicators