L. Osei et Joo. Commey, DRUG COMPLIANCE AMONG PARENTS AND GUARDIANS OF CHILDREN IN ACCRA, GHANA, East African medical journal, 71(9), 1994, pp. 591-595
Through a structured questionnaire, 523 parents and guardians who rece
ived prescription to collect medicine for their wards at the pharmacy
of the Department of Child Health, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital were int
erviewed during the months of March and April, 1993. The objectives we
re to determine to what extent they remembered prescription instructio
ns for their wards and to find out any other factors that contributed
to drug non-compliance. A large percentage (about 80%) were able to re
count instructions given correctly. It was however worrying, that quit
e a sizeable number could not recount instructions given. This obvious
ly contributed to non-compliance. Other factors that were found and wh
ich could have contributed to non-compliance were: poor economic stand
ing, non-availability of drugs at the hospital pharmacy, availability
of similar drugs at home and patients getting well before the schedule
d period of treatment is over. Of particular concern was the response
by some parents/guardians that they would double the dosage to their w
ards to make up for a missed one should they forget any of the schedul
ed doses. Workers at pharmacy shops need to use simple practical means
of giving prescription instructions, especially to illiterate patient
s.