Use of Mobile Phones for Monitoring Adverse Drug Reactions in "Open System Pharmacy" in Ishaka, Bushenyi District.
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Date
2012-04
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Kampala International University, School of Health Sciences.
Abstract
Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are significant causes of morbidity and mortality and may cause
many hospitalizations leading to large economic burdens to patients and to society. Postmarketing
surveillance offers assessment of drug released to the market in different categories of
people, other than those in whom the drug was tested. However dmg reactions are currently little
or not monitored from the open system pharmacy comprising of community pharmacies and
drug stores. This study evaluates the use of mobile phone technology to report ADRs following
drug exposure in Ishaka municipality. Purchase of medicines was actively monitored for 8 weeks
in two community pharmacies (CP) and five drug stores. Information on experience of drug
reactions was obtained by mobile telephone from 190 clients who purchased medication during
the 8 week period. A total of 420 drugs were purchased during the period. Antibiotics (35%),
analgesics (20.5%) and antimalarials (7.1%) were the most frequently purchased medicines.
Clients without prescriptions were 55.8% .The response to mobile phone monitoring of reactions
to drugs was 96% in the first 24 hours (day 1) after purchase and decreased to 89.5% by day 4.
404 different incidences of drug reactions were reported by 108 (56.8%) participants followed up
using mobile phone. There were no dmg reactions reported on day 7 and day 14. All the
reactions were examined and classified as side effects of the drugs. There were no ADRs
reported. 34% of the participants bought single drugs whereas 66% purchased more than one
dmg. Of those who purchased more than one drug, drug interactions occurred in 24.8%. Of the
different reactions reported, gastrointestinal (GIT) disturbances occurred more frequently ( 44.1
%) followed by central nervous system (CNS) effects (10.2%). There was no method of
reporting drug reactions existing in the outlets examined. The findings from this study indicate
that monitoring of drug reactions is essential in the system. Respondents were clearly willing to
report any reaction to the drugs and the availability of a toll-free telephone line would facilitate
pharmacovigilance and follow up of response to medicines in a resource-poor setting.
Description
A dissertation submitted to the School of Pharmacy
Kampala International University-Western Campus in
Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Award
of Bachelor of Pharmacy.
Keywords
Mobile Phones, Monitoring Adverse Drug Reactions, Open System Pharmacy, Ishaka, Bushenyi District