Background

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) provides free healthcare, including medications, for the over 2 million Muslim pilgrims who attend Hajj every year. Information on drug utilization patterns at the Hajj is important to strengthen the supply chain for medicines, avert stock-outs, identify inappropriate use, and support public health planning for the event.

Method

We investigated drug utilization pattern among outpatients in eight seasonal Holy sites hospitals in Makkah, KSA, during the 2018 Hajj. Data on medication prescribed and dispensed were retrieved from the hospitals' electronic records. Data were also used to calculate six of the WHO indicators for drug use at these facilities.

Results

A total of 99,117 medications were prescribed for 37,367 outpatients during 37,933 encounters. Outpatients were mainly older males and originated from 134 countries. Twenty medications accounted for 72.8% of the 323 different medications prescribed. These were mainly nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics and antipyretics, and antibacterial medicines for systemic use. Outpatients were prescribed an average of 2.6 (SD = 1.2) drugs per consultation and polypharmacy (≥5 medications) was observed in 4.8% of the encounters. Antibiotics and an injection were prescribed in 46.9% and 6.5% of encounters, respectively. Nearly 90% of the prescribed drugs were actually dispensed. On average, medications were dispensed 16.4 (SD = 119.8) minutes from the time they were prescribed for the patient. All hospitals had a copy of the essential drugs list available and all of the prescribed drugs appeared on that list.

Conclusion

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics and antibiotics are the most common medications prescribed to outpatient during Hajj. Our results, including the calculated WHO drug use indicators, can form a basis for further investigations into appropriate drug use at the Hajj and for planning purposes. These results could also guide the development of reference values for medications prescribing and use indicators at mass gatherings.

中文翻译：

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朝觐群众集会期间门诊患者用药使用模式。

背景

沙特阿拉伯王国 (KSA) 为每年参加朝觐的超过 200 万穆斯林朝圣者提供免费医疗保健，包括药物治疗。有关朝觐药物使用模式的信息对于加强药物供应链、避免缺货、识别不当使用和支持该活动的公共卫生规划非常重要。

方法

我们调查了 2018 年朝觐期间沙特阿拉伯麦加八家季节性圣地医院门诊患者的药物使用模式。从医院的电子记录中检索到处方和配药数据。数据还用于计算世卫组织在这些设施中使用药物的六项指标。

结果

在 37,933 次就诊中，总共为 37,367 名门诊患者开了 99,117 种药物。门诊患者主要是老年男性，来自 134 个国家。20 种药物占 323 种不同处方药的 72.8%。这些主要是非甾体类抗炎药、镇痛药和解热药以及全身使用的抗菌药。门诊患者每次会诊平均开出 2.6 (SD = 1.2) 种药物，在 4.8% 的就诊中观察到多种药物（≥5 种药物）。分别有 46.9% 和 6.5% 的患者使用抗生素和注射剂。近 90% 的处方药被实际分发。平均而言，从为患者开药的时间算起，药物分配时间为 16.4 (SD = 119.8) 分钟。

结论

非甾体类抗炎药、镇痛药和抗生素是朝觐期间门诊最常见的处方药。我们的结果，包括计算出的 WHO 药物使用指标，可以作为进一步调查朝觐适当药物使用和规划目的的基础。这些结果还可以指导制定药物处方的参考值，并在群众集会上使用指标。