ArticleBMC public health2026
Antibiotic dispensing practices and patterns of non-prescription antibiotic sales among retail drug outlets in Ghana.
Article in BMC public health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
backgroundThis study evaluated antibiotic dispensing practices and patterns of non-prescription antibiotic sales among community retail drug outlets in Ghana, to identify which dispenser cadres, client interaction behaviours, and antibiotic types are most implicated in non-prescription dispensing, to generate evidence to support the design of targeted, evidence-based interventions at the retail level.
methodsA cross-sectional study design was used. Data were collected from 158 dispensers, entered, and analyzed using STATA between April and July 2024. Descriptive statistics (mean, SD, median frequency, and percentages) were used to analyze self-reported antibiotic dispensing practices, antibiotic types dispensed, associated diseases and conditions, and influencing factors of antibiotic dispensation without prescription. Chi-square (χ²), bivariate, and multivariate logistic regression analyses identified significant predictors of antibiotic dispensing without prescription.
resultsA total of 86 (54.4%) out of 158 respondents reported dispensing without a valid prescription, with 80.2% (69) of those dispensing without a prescription doing so regularly. Ciprofloxacin and amoxicillin (65.8%) were most frequently dispensed, while genitourinary infections (74.7%) were the most common disease conditions for which treatment is given before medications are used in treatment. Pharmacists (AOR = 4.63, 95% CI: 1.20-17.83; p = 0.026) were significantly more likely to engage in non-prescription dispensing than other dispensers. Dispensers who requested a history of the client's history on antibiotic usage (AOR = 0.30, 95% CI: 0.10-0.89; p = 0.03) were less likely to dispense antibiotics without a prescription compared to those who did not request clients' antibiotic use history. P-values less than 0.05 (p < 0.05) were considered statistically significant associations.
conclusionA high rate of non-prescription antibiotic sales at retail drug outlets was identified in this study, underscoring the urgent need for regulatory enforcement and community-targeted, evidence-based interventions to promote responsible antibiotic dispensing practices at the retail level.
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