Determinants of exit-knowledge of ambulatory patients on their dispensed medications: The case in the outpatient pharmacy of Mizan-Tepi University Teaching Hospital, Southwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Background

Patient’s knowledge about dispensed medications is one of the major factors that determine the rational use of medicines.

Objectives

This study aimed to assess exit-knowledge of ambulatory patients about their dispensed medications and associated factors at the outpatient pharmacy of Mizan-Tepi University Teaching Hospital, Southwest Ethiopia.

Methods

A hospital-based cross-sectional study design was conducted from August to October 2021. Study subjects were selected by random sampling technique and were interviewed using a structured interview questionnaire. Binary logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with exit knowledge. At a 95% confidence interval (CI), p≤0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Result

Of the total 400 participants, 116 (29.0%) participants had sufficient exit-knowledge about their dispensed medication. Patients with higher educational level had increased exit knowledge of dispensed medications than those with no formal education (AOR: 5.590; 95% CI 1.019–30.666). Also, the nature of illness as being chronic significantly enlarged the odds (AOR 5.807; 95% CI 2.965–11.372) of having sufficient exit-knowledge. Participants who reported, “I do not know” and “I did not get enough information from the pharmacist” had lower odds (AOR 0.374; 95% CI: 0.142–0.982) and (AOR 0.166; 95% CI 0.062–0.445) of sufficient exit-knowledge in comparison to those who responded “I got enough information from the pharmacist” respectively. Furthermore, the odd of sufficient exit-knowledge was 7.62 times higher in those who claimed prescribing doctor as the source of information.

Conclusion

The majority of patients had insufficient exit-knowledge about their dispensed medications. Educational status, nature of the disease, perceived sufficiency of pharmacist knowledge, and source of information were significantly associated with exit knowledge.