Payesh (Jun 2024)
Evaluation of drug prescription patterns in Iran: a scoping review
Abstract
Objective(s): Drug prescription is one of the strategic issues in the field of health. Rational prescription of medicine and efforts towards appropriate, safe and efficient use of medicine are one of the main missions of health policy makers in the country. This study was conducted with the aim of reviewing the studies was done in the country in the field of drug prescription pattern. Methods: The present research was a scoping review using the Arsky and O'Malley protocol. The English and Persian databases examined in this study were Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, Magiran and SID. Searched keywords were Prescription, Rational Use, Rational Utilization, Rational Consumption, Overconsumption, Overutilization, Utilization Management, Inappropriate Utilization, and Iran in English and Persian. Original research articles published in journals in English or Persian that estimated WHO prescribing indicators were included to the review. Studies published in other languages, books, theses, conference papers, review studies, articles whose full text was not available and articles published before 2010 were excluded from the study. Results: In the first stage 2846 citations were retrieved. After considering all inclusion and exclusion criteria 22 full articles were reviewed. About 70% of articles were published in English. 74% of studies focused on the prescription of a specific group of providers and 13% focused on drug administration in elderlies. The average number of drugs per prescription varied from 2 to 4.5 items in different studies. The percentage of prescriptions included antibiotics reported between 8.8 for elderlies’ home health care to 97.6 for dentists’ prescriptions. The prescriptions included injections also varied from 9.3 to 58.9 in medical interns and general practitioners in Kerman. Conclusion: The trend of drug prescription reflects the success of the country's policies toward rational use of drugs. However, to achievement the global standards, the implementation of policies to improve the prescription pattern in the country should be a priorities of health system.
