Volume 16, Issue 2 (March & April-In Press 2026)
J Research Health 2026, 16(2): 3-3 |
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Ethics code: Pharm.B/44/20-21
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Bappy B H, Saiful S I, Prattay K M R, Rezvi R S, Zahir S Z R, Muhit A et al . Investigation of the WHO Prescribing Indicators, Drug Use Pattern and Disease Prevalence of the Non-COVID Ambulatory Bangladeshi Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study. J Research Health 2026; 16 (2) :3-3
URL: http://jrh.gmu.ac.ir/article-1-2804-en.html
URL: http://jrh.gmu.ac.ir/article-1-2804-en.html
Bappy Hawlader Bappy1 
, Saiful Islam Saiful2 , Kazi Milenur Rahman Prattay3 , Raihan Sarkar Rezvi4 , Sheikh Zahir Raihan Zahir5 , Abdul Muhit5 , Nahid Sharmin Nahid4
, Saiful Islam Saiful2 , Kazi Milenur Rahman Prattay3 , Raihan Sarkar Rezvi4 , Sheikh Zahir Raihan Zahir5 , Abdul Muhit5 , Nahid Sharmin Nahid4
1- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh , hmbappy3du@gmail.com
2- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh & Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Division, Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh
3- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh & School of Pharmacy, BRAC University, Dhaka-1212, Bangladesh
4- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh
5- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh
2- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh & Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Division, Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh
3- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh & School of Pharmacy, BRAC University, Dhaka-1212, Bangladesh
4- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh
5- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh
Abstract: (19 Views)
Background: Irrational prescribing has been a major public health concern all around the world including Bangladesh. Lack of effective treatment guidelines and drug regulation policies to manage COVID-19 allowed an upsurge in this malpractice during the pandemic. This cross-sectional study aims to evaluate the prescription pattern in non-COVID ambulatory patients during the COVID-19 outbreak in Bangladesh.
Methods: A total of 600 prescriptions were randomly collected from non-COVID outpatients at three tertiary hospitals in Dhaka, Bangladesh, between December 2020 and June 2021. COVID-19 status was confirmed through verbal screening and antigen test verification when applicable. Data were organized and analyzed using Google spreadsheet, MS Excel and SPSS v26.0, as appropriate.
Results: Mean number of drugs prescribed per prescription was 5.25 (SD = 2.1) and dependent on patients’ age groups (P < 0.001) and gender (P = 0.013). Drugs were prescribed by brand names mostly 3107 (98.69%) and 2452 (77.9%) of them belonged to the essential drugs list. Majority of the prescribed drugs were from gastroenterology 2025 (64.33%) and respiratory group 1716 (54.50%). A mean of 7.38 errors were found per prescription of which the predominant type was error of omission. Each prescription carried 1.157 errors of omission related to prescriber’s details 349 (50.29%) and diagnosis 144 (20.75%). 427 (13.56%) of all the prescribed drugs were at risk of drug-drug interaction.
Conclusions: To address the above-mentioned concerns, targeted interventions such as prescriber training on rational drug use and practicing WHO prescribing indicators, implementation and strengthening national prescription monitoring policies and ensuring a robust supply of necessitated drugs are recommended while planning for combating any future outbreak of COVID-19 or similar disease.
Methods: A total of 600 prescriptions were randomly collected from non-COVID outpatients at three tertiary hospitals in Dhaka, Bangladesh, between December 2020 and June 2021. COVID-19 status was confirmed through verbal screening and antigen test verification when applicable. Data were organized and analyzed using Google spreadsheet, MS Excel and SPSS v26.0, as appropriate.
Results: Mean number of drugs prescribed per prescription was 5.25 (SD = 2.1) and dependent on patients’ age groups (P < 0.001) and gender (P = 0.013). Drugs were prescribed by brand names mostly 3107 (98.69%) and 2452 (77.9%) of them belonged to the essential drugs list. Majority of the prescribed drugs were from gastroenterology 2025 (64.33%) and respiratory group 1716 (54.50%). A mean of 7.38 errors were found per prescription of which the predominant type was error of omission. Each prescription carried 1.157 errors of omission related to prescriber’s details 349 (50.29%) and diagnosis 144 (20.75%). 427 (13.56%) of all the prescribed drugs were at risk of drug-drug interaction.
Conclusions: To address the above-mentioned concerns, targeted interventions such as prescriber training on rational drug use and practicing WHO prescribing indicators, implementation and strengthening national prescription monitoring policies and ensuring a robust supply of necessitated drugs are recommended while planning for combating any future outbreak of COVID-19 or similar disease.
Keywords: WHO prescribing indicators, COVID-19, tertiary level hospitals, outpatients, prescription errors, Bangladesh
Type of Study: Orginal Article |
Subject:
● International Health
Received: 2025/05/14 | Accepted: 2025/10/18 | Published: 2026/03/21
Received: 2025/05/14 | Accepted: 2025/10/18 | Published: 2026/03/21
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