Management of childhood acute respiratory infections at private pharmaciesin Vietnam

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the knowledge and practice among private pharmacy staff in Hanoi regarding case management of mild acute respiratory infecti on (ARI) in children. METHODS: Sixty private pharmacies in Hanoi were randomly selected. Knowledg e was assessed through interviews with pharmacy staff using a questionnaire ; practice was assessed through the Simulated Client Method. RESULTS: In the questionnaire, 20% of the pharmacy staff stated that they w ould dispense antibiotics. In practice, 83% of the pharmacies dispensed ant ibiotics. Only 36% of the cases were handled according to guidelines. In th e questionnaire, 81% of interviewees stated that antibiotics are not effect ive in short therapeutic courses. In practice, 48% of the antibiotics were dispensed in courses less than five days. Traditional herbal medicines were dispensed in 41% of the encounters. In the questionnaire, 53% of the pharm acy staff stated that they would ask the patient about difficulty of breath ing. In practice, questions related to difficulty of breathing were asked i n less than 10% of the encounters. CONCLUSIONS: Dispensing of antibiotics for mild ARI was common practice amo ng private pharmacies, and there was a significant difference between knowl edge and practice. Interventions are needed to improve pharmacy practice in Hanoi.