Exit-knowledge about dispensed medications and associated factors among patients attending the outpatient pharmacy of Ambo General Hospital, Western Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Insufficient knowledge of patients about their dispensed medications may result in inappropriate use of medication which can lead to treatment failure and poor therapeutic outcome. Purpose: This study aimed to determine the exit-knowledge level and its determinants among patients attending outpatient pharmacy of the Ambo General Hospital. Patients and Methods: Hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 400 study participants who visited the outpatient pharmacy in Ambo General Hospital from October to December 2019. Face-to-face interview was conducted using structured questionnaires to assess the exit-knowledge of the patients about their dispensed medication at the pharmacy exit. A binary logistic regression was employed to determine factors associated with the exitknowledge. The association was statistically significant at 95% of confidence interval with a p-value less than 0.05. Results: A total of 400 patients participated in the study with a 100% response rate. Of the total, 222 (55.5%) patients had sufficient exit-knowledge about their dispensed medication. Patients in the age group of 19–29 (AOR=3.1; 95% CI (1.7–5.6) and 49 −59 (AOR = 3.7; 95% CI (2.3–6.0)) had greater exit-knowledge than the elderly participants (>60 years). Participants who reported the comfort of the waiting area was not suitable had lower odds of sufficient exit-knowledge (AOR= 0.7; 95% CI (0.2–3.0)) in comparison to those who reported a suitable waiting area. Lower odds of sufficient exit-knowledge (AOR=0.4; 95% CI (0.3–0.7)) was determined among those who responded fairly clarity of the dispensers guidance in comparison with those reported clear guidance. The gender and the residence of the participants were also had a significant association with the exit-knowledge level. Conclusion: Modest number of the patients had sufficient exit-knowledge of their dispensed medication. Age, gender, residence, perceived comfort of the waiting area and perceived clarity of the pharmacists’ guidances were significantly associated with the exit-knowledge.