Sapkota Kiren, Sah Anil Kumar, Thapa Rahi Bikram, Thapa Yubraj, Dangi Suraj, Adhikari Rakesh Kumar
Purbanchal University School of Health Science, Gothgaun, Morang, Nepal.
Sage Open Pediatr. 2025 Mar 16;12:30502225251319878. doi: 10.1177/30502225251319878. eCollection 2025 Jan-Dec.
Pediatric populations are highly vulnerable to various diseases and are at risk of irrational prescribing practices, which can impact treatment outcomes and contribute to increased healthcare costs. Knowledge of disease, prescribing patterns, and knowledge of drug administration help to promote rational drug use in pediatric care. To assess the prevalence of common diseases and prescribing patterns in the Pediatric outpatient department of Kankai Nagar Hospital. A 1-month cross-sectional study was conducted on 245 pediatric patients at Kankai Nagar Hospital. Random sampling was used, and data were collected from prescriptions and patient-caregiver interviews. Descriptive statistics were used to evaluate prescribing trends, and costs were calculated to assess economic implications. Among the patients, 60% were male, with upper respiratory tract infections being the most common diagnosis (26.5%). The average number of drugs per encounter was 3.08, higher than the WHO standard, suggesting polypharmacy risks. NSAIDs (19.81%) and antibiotics (17.43%) were the most commonly prescribed drugs. The average cost per prescription was NPR 456.23, while antibiotics averaged NPR 159.56. Only 23.38% of caregivers had complete knowledge of correct dosages. The study reveals acceptable prescribing patterns but indicates prevalent polypharmacy, with reliance on NSAIDs and antibiotics and limited caregiver knowledge of drug use. Addressing these issues through caregiver education, policy changes, and clinical pharmacy integration could enhance rational drug use and improve pediatric healthcare outcomes.
儿科人群极易感染各种疾病，且存在不合理用药的风险，这可能会影响治疗效果并导致医疗成本增加。了解疾病、用药模式以及药物给药知识有助于促进儿科护理中的合理用药。为评估坎凯纳加尔医院儿科门诊常见疾病的患病率和用药模式。对坎凯纳加尔医院的245名儿科患者进行了为期1个月的横断面研究。采用随机抽样，从处方和患者-照顾者访谈中收集数据。使用描述性统计来评估用药趋势，并计算成本以评估经济影响。在这些患者中，60%为男性，上呼吸道感染是最常见的诊断（26.5%）。每次就诊的平均用药数量为3.08种，高于世界卫生组织的标准，表明存在多药联用的风险。非甾体抗炎药（19.81%）和抗生素（17.43%）是最常开具的药物。每张处方的平均费用为456.23尼泊尔卢比，而抗生素的平均费用为159.56尼泊尔卢比。只有23.38%的照顾者完全了解正确的剂量。该研究揭示了可接受的用药模式，但表明多药联用普遍存在，依赖非甾体抗炎药和抗生素，且照顾者对药物使用的知识有限。通过照顾者教育、政策改变和临床药学整合来解决这些问题，可以加强合理用药并改善儿科医疗结果。
