Abstract
Background
Patient satisfaction is a crucial aspect of healthcare, reflecting the positive feelings patients experience when using a service. It serves as an indicator of the gap between ...expected and actual service quality from the patient's perspective. Measuring patient satisfaction is recommended for healthcare providers at all levels as it contributes to improvement efforts
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In recent times, pharmacy services have evolved beyond merely supplying medications to becoming more patient-centered and caring
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Given the high number of patients relying on the limited Red Cross community pharmacies in the city, this study aims to assess patient satisfaction and identify factors associated with patient satisfaction towards Red Cross Pharmacies in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Patients and methods
Cross sectional study design was conducted from August 15 to August 30, 2022 in three Red Cross Pharmacies in Addis Ababa. Patients were selected by Convenience sampling technique. Structured questionnaire was used to assess patient satisfaction. Bivariate and Multivariate logistic regression were computed to assess statistical association between the outcome variable, and independent variables. SPSS version 21 was used for analysis.
Results
Four hundred seven participants were willing and completed the study. The overall satisfaction towards Red Cross pharmacy service was 60.4%. Inadequate counselling was main reason for dissatisfaction (45%). Regarding associated factors, unavailability of some medications (Adjusted odds ratio = 0.393, 95% CI: 0.208–0.741), unfair medication cost (Adjusted odds ratio = 0.613, 95% CI: 0.607–0.910), and lack of organized pharmacy work flow (Adjusted odds ratio = 0.105, 95% CI: 0.049–0.221) were negatively associated with clients’ satisfaction.
Conclusion
This study provides significant insights into patient satisfaction with Red Cross pharmacy services in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, revealing an overall patient satisfaction rate of 60.4%. While a substantial number of patients had positive experiences, dissatisfaction due to inadequate counseling was a notable concern. Factors negatively associated with patient satisfaction, including medication unavailability, unfair cost, and a lack of organized workflow, further highlight the need for targeted interventions to improve patient experiences. Addressing these issues will be critical to enhance pharmaceutical care services and bridge the gap between patient needs and satisfaction.
Objective
Up to 70% of people living with epilepsy could become seizure‐free with the appropriate use of antiseizure medicines. However, three quarters of people with epilepsy living in low‐income ...countries do not get the treatment they need and also do not access antiseizure medicines. The purpose of this study was to assess the availability, price, and affordability of antiseizure medicines in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Methods
A cross‐sectional study was done in selected pharmacies using a questioner developed after the modification of World Health Organization/Health Action International methodology. Data on the availability and price of lowest‐priced generics and originator brand antiseizure medicines from essential medicines list in Ethiopia were collected from seven public sectors, five private sectors, and seven other sectors (five Kenema Public Community and two Red Cross Pharmacies) in Addis Ababa between 09 May and 31 2022. The data were analyzed using the modified World Health Organization/Health Action International workbook part I excel sheet. Descriptive results were reported in text and table format.
Results
The overall availability of lowest‐priced generics medication was 52%. The availability of lowest‐priced generics was 62.86%, 30%, 55%, and 50% in public, private, Red Cross, and Kenema Public Community Pharmacies, respectively. The median price ratio in the public, private, Red Cross, and Kenema Public Community Pharmacy was 1.45, 3.72, 1.46, and 1.7, respectively. All the medications were unaffordable. Patients may be required to pay more than 6‐month wage to purchase standard treatment for 1 month only.
Significance
The overall availability of antiseizure medicines was lower than the WHO target for noncommunicable diseases. All the available medicines were unaffordable.
Alcohol use during pregnancy is a significant public health problem, ultimately affecting the neonatal offspring. Recent studies explore that no safe amount and safe time to drink alcohol during ...pregnancy. Even though drinking in pregnancy has a wide range of problems, a small number of scientific publications document on the magnitude of drinking alcohol during pregnancy in Sub-Saharan African countries including Ethiopia. The aim of this study was to assess prevalence and associated factors of alcohol use among pregnant women attending prenatal care at public hospitals, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Hospital based cross sectional study was employed from May 7 to June 6, 2019 at public hospitals, Addis Ababa. A total of 585 pregnant women participated in the study selected through systematic random sampling technique. Frequency of consumption was measured by using AUDIT. Frequency tables and graphs were used to describe the study variable. The association between variables analyzed with bi-variable and multivariable binary logistic regression. A statistical significance was declared at p value < 0.05 with 95% confidence interval.
A total of 585 participants were included in the study with the response rate of 98.6%. The study showed that the prevalence of alcohol use among pregnant women were 37.1% with (95% CI, 33.2-41). Factors like no formal education AOR = 3.22, 95%CI, 1.72, 6.02, pre-pregnancy alcohol use AOR = 3.16, 95%CI, 2.03, 4.91, partner alcohol use AOR = 3.43, 95%CI, 2.21, 5.32, and poor social support AOR = 3.16, 95%CI, 1.88, 5.31 were statistically associated with alcohol use during pregnancy.
In this study the prevalence of alcohol use during pregnancy was high as compared to majority of other studies. This study observed that no formal education, pre-pregnancy alcohol use, partner alcohol use, and poor social support, were highly associated with alcohol use during pregnancy. Based on the findings of this study early management of alcohol use and problematic alcohol use is needed for pregnant women.
Access to affordable, quality-assured essential medicines is crucial to reduce the burden of disease. However, one third of the world's population lacks regular access to essential medicines. The ...purpose of this study was to assess the availability, price, and affordability of medicines for mental disorders in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
A cross-sectional study was done in selected pharmacies after modification of a WHO/HAI methodology developed questionnaire. Data on the availability and price of 28 lowest priced generics and originator brand essential psychotropic medicines were collected from seven public sectors, five private sectors, and seven other sectors (five Kenema Public Community Pharmacies and two Red Cross Pharmacies) in Addis Ababa between May 9 and May 31, 2022. The data were analyzed using the developed WHO/HAI workbook part I Excel sheet. Descriptive results were reported in text and table format.
The overall availability of lowest-priced generics medication was 41.69%. The availability of lowest-priced generics and originator brand medication was 54.68% and 1.7% in the public pharmacies; 24.14% and 0.0% in private pharmacies; 43% and 0.0% in Red Cross Pharmacies; and 42% and 3.2% in Kenema Public Community Pharmacies. The median price ratio in the public, private, Red Cross, and Kenema Public Community pharmacies was 1.26, 3.72, 1.65, and 1.59, respectively. Most of the medications were unaffordable. A patient could be required to pay up to 73 days wages to purchase a standard treatment for 1 month.
The availability of psychotropic medicines was lower than the WHO target for non-communicable diseases and most of the available medicines were unaffordable.
Cytotoxic drugs are essential treatments available for patients with cancer. There are concerns that unavailability and high prices of cancer medicines may limit patient access. Since information on ...availability, prices and affordability for cancer medicine is lacking for several countries, particularly for lower income countries like Ethiopia, it will be difficult to know the real situation of those medications' access.
The purpose of this study was to assess availability, affordability and price of anti-cancer medications, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The study was cross-sectional using a modified form of the WHO/HAI methodology of measuring medicine price, availability and affordability in public, private, Kenema municipal and Red Cross Pharmacies found in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Data on the availability and price of 47 cytotoxic medications for both lowest priced generics and originator brands were collected in 3 public, 6 private and 2 NGO pharmacies which are expected to dispense cytotoxic medications in Addis Ababa. The data were entered and analyzed using WHO/HAI data entry and analysis form. Results were presented in tables and figures.
The majority of the anti-cancer medications assessed were not available and the few available medicines were unaffordable. The lowest priced generic were relatively more available (34.8%) than the originator brand medications (2.8%) in the public sector. Generally, the availability of anti-cancer medicine differs when comparing the public, private and other sectors. The availability of cytotoxic medications was 18.8%, 5.3% and 8.8% in the public, private and other sectors. The prices of cytotoxic medications available in the private sector were higher than the public and other sectors. All of the medications except for anastrazole were unaffordable.
Medicines for cancer treatment are unavailable and the few available medicines are unaffordable in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Different interventions should be done to improve access to cytotoxic medications.
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