Biomaterial Database

Reported and actual prescription of oral rehydration therapy for childhood diarrhoeas by retail pharmacists in Nigeria. 1994

U A Igun

Department of Sociology & Anthropology, University of Maiduguri, Nigeria.

This study documented what retail pharmacists and operators of patent medicine shops prescribe for childhood diarrhoeas in Borno State in the northeastern part of Nigeria. Data was generated by a combination of open and confederates survey of 135 pharmacies and patent medicine shops in the state. The study found that retail pharmacies and patent medicine shop operators, in the overwhelming majority routinely prescribe drugs, particularly, antibiotics, for both watery and bloody diarrhoea. Very few of the pharmacists and almost none of the patent medicine shop operators prescribed any form of oral rehydration therapy (ORT) for watery diarrhoea. There was very high discrepancy between what respondents told interviewers they usually prescribe and what was actually prescribed to confederates in their facilities. It is suggested that the non-prescription of ORT by the majority of facilities could be accounted for by pharmacists' permissive attitude to the norms. This permissive attitude was generated by the profit motive and reinforced by mothers' expectations. The study conclude that more operators can be made to prescribe ORT by instituting incentives for those who prescribe and overt sanctions for those who do not.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007223	Infant	A child between 1 and 23 months of age.	Infants
D009549	Nigeria	A republic in western Africa, south of NIGER between BENIN and CAMEROON. Its capital is Abuja.	Federal Republic of Nigeria
D010353	Patient Education as Topic	The teaching or training of patients concerning their own health needs.	Education of Patients,Education, Patient,Patient Education
D010595	Pharmacists	Those persons legally qualified by education and training to engage in the practice of pharmacy.	Clinical Pharmacists,Community Pharmacists,Retail Pharmacists,Clinical Pharmacist,Community Pharmacist,Pharmacist,Pharmacist, Clinical,Pharmacist, Community,Pharmacist, Retail,Pharmacists, Clinical,Pharmacists, Community,Pharmacists, Retail,Retail Pharmacist
D011307	Drug Prescriptions	Directions written for the obtaining and use of DRUGS.	Drug Prescribing,Drug Prescription,Drug Prescribings,Prescribing, Drug,Prescribings, Drug
D003906	Developing Countries	Countries in the process of change with economic growth, that is, an increase in production, per capita consumption, and income. The process of economic growth involves better utilization of natural and human resources, which results in a change in the social, political, and economic structures.	LMICs,Less-Developed Countries,Low Income Countries,Low and Middle Income Countries,Lower-Middle-Income Country,Middle Income Countries,Third-World Countries,Under-Developed Countries,Developing Nations,Least Developed Countries,Less-Developed Nations,Third-World Nations,Under-Developed Nations,Countries, Middle Income,Countries, Third-World,Country, Least Developed,Country, Less-Developed,Country, Low Income,Country, Lower-Middle-Income,Country, Middle Income,Country, Third-World,Country, Under-Developed,Developed Country, Least,Developing Country,Developing Nation,Least Developed Country,Less Developed Countries,Less Developed Nations,Less-Developed Country,Less-Developed Nation,Low Income Country,Lower Middle Income Country,Lower-Middle-Income Countries,Middle Income Country,Nation, Less-Developed,Nation, Third-World,Nation, Under-Developed,Third World Countries,Third World Nations,Third-World Country,Third-World Nation,Under Developed Countries,Under Developed Nations,Under-Developed Country,Under-Developed Nation
D003968	Diarrhea, Infantile	DIARRHEA occurring in infants from newborn to 24-months old.	Infantile Diarrhea,Diarrheas, Infantile,Infantile Diarrheas
D004366	Nonprescription Drugs	Medicines that can be sold legally without a DRUG PRESCRIPTION.	Drugs, Non-Prescription,Non-Prescription Drug,Nonprescription Drug,OTC Drug,OTC Drugs,Over-the-Counter Drug,Over-the-Counter Drugs,Patent Medicine,Patent Medicines,Drugs, Nonprescription,Medicines, Patent,Non-Prescription Drugs,Drug, Non-Prescription,Drug, Nonprescription,Drug, OTC,Drug, Over-the-Counter,Drugs, Non Prescription,Drugs, OTC,Drugs, Over-the-Counter,Medicine, Patent,Non Prescription Drug,Non Prescription Drugs,Over the Counter Drug,Over the Counter Drugs
D005440	Fluid Therapy	Therapy whose basic objective is to restore the volume and composition of the body fluids to normal with respect to WATER-ELECTROLYTE BALANCE. Fluids may be administered intravenously, orally, by intermittent gavage, or by HYPODERMOCLYSIS.	Oral Rehydration Therapy,Rehydration,Rehydration, Oral,Oral Rehydration,Rehydration Therapy, Oral,Therapy, Fluid,Therapy, Oral Rehydration,Fluid Therapies,Oral Rehydration Therapies,Oral Rehydrations,Rehydration Therapies, Oral,Rehydrations,Rehydrations, Oral,Therapies, Fluid,Therapies, Oral Rehydration
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man