Development of Surveillance System for the Distribution of Prohibited Drugs in Grocery Stores through the Policy for Promoting Rational Drug Use in Community at Lea Subdistrict, Phang-nga

Abstract

Objective: To develop a surveillance system for the distribution of prohibited drugs in grocery stores through the policy for promoting rational drug use in community (RDU community) at Lea Subdistrict, Phang-nga. Methods: This action research employed the RDU community processes including community assessment, assessment of problems in the area, pharmacists’ returning information on patients harmed by drug use within the community, community participation to analyze and assess the situation and plan the activities leading to the design of surveillance system by health consumer protection network, and establishment of agreement between the public and private health sectors by declaring health charter. The study measured knowledge before and after providing the information on Drug Act to grocery owners and information on drug purchasing and safe use of drug to public in the community. The study distributed to 27 grocery stores the posters showing drugs legally allowed or prohibited to distribute in grocery stores. The study collected the data on numbers of grocery stores distributing prohibited drugs for 3 times every 45 days apart during August 1, 2020 - December 30, 2021. Data analysis was conducted using mixed effects model. Results: After the implementation of activities in the project, the number of grocery stores distributing illegal drugs significantly decreased from 20 stores in the first wave of data collection to 6 stores in the third wave (P<0.001). Knowledge of grocery owners and the public significantly increased from 9.59 ± 2.20 to 11.67 ± 3.33 (P<0.001) (full score of 16) and 19.02±3.36 to 21.92±3.37 (P<0.001) (full score of 28), respectively. After the implementation of the surveillance system, no distribution of oral antibiotics, combined drugs, Ya-chud, and expired drugs were found. Conclusion: The development of surveillance systems based on all 5 activities of the policy on RDU community helps solve the problems at the system level by linking information from the hospital and community under the participation of all sectors. The surveillance systems enable grocery owners and public to gain literacy of rational use of drugs which can bring Lea Sub-district to become community model which is free from illegal drugs in grocery stores.