Assessment of Drug Treatment Practices and Pattern for Gastroenteritis Among Under-Five Children in A Tertiary Hospital in Southeast Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Inappropriate drug prescribing is common in clinical practice with a consequent significant negative economic and clinical burden. This study assessed the drug treatment practices for gastroenteritis among under-five children in a teaching hospital in southeast Nigeria. Methods: A retrospective analysis of prescription records from June 2017 to June 2019, was conducted using the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended drug use indicators, adapted for children's healthcare. A total of 310 prescriptions were selected using systematic sampling. The number of drugs in each prescription, number of prescriptions, cost of the prescription were analyzed. The student's T-test was used to summarise the differences in means. P =<0.05 was considered significant.