Prevalence and Characteristics of Groceries that Provided antibiotics in Ngao District, Lampang Province

Abstract

Objective: To determine prevalence and characteristics of groceries that provided antibiotics in Ngao district, Lampang province. Method: This research was a cross-sectional descriptive study. The samples were 137 groceries in the catchment areas of Ngao hospital and 12 subdistrict health promoting hospitals in the district, selected from the population of 316 groceries by the stratified random sampling according to catchment areas. The researcher interviewed salespersons in the groceries using the instrument developed in the study to collect the data on characteristics of groceries, available health products, source of medication, storage conditions, reasons for antibiotics provision. Research assistants were the ones who observed medications available in the stores, photographed and recorded the information on trade names, active ingredients, strength, dosage forms and registration numbers. Results: Prevalence of groceries with antibiotics in Ngao district, Lampang province was 37%. The most prevalent antibiotics was tetracycline, followed by penicillins. Most of the groceries with antibiotics were located 1-5 Km from public health facilities, was on business for 1-10 years and being a retail store. Source of antibiotics in every grocery was pharmacies. Most of the grocery owners reported that reason for antibiotics provision was demand from the customers in the communities. Four factors were statistically significant associated with the provision of antibiotics in groceries, including years on business (p=0.010), being retailers or wholesalers (p=0.003), demand of communities and the recommendation from sources of medications (p<0.001). Conclusion: The problem of selling antibiotics in groceries still exists in communities, reflecting the problems of irrational drug use in communities. The eradication of the problem demands an understanding of perspectives of the communities on drug use and changing their attitudes towards drug use to a more appropriate one with the participation of the communities.