[Irrational drug use in Siauliai, Panevezys and Utena counties of Lithuania]

Abstract

In our study, we aimed to investigate the irrational use of the reimbursed drugs in some counties of Lithuania in 2001 by investigating the viewpoints of the physicians to the problems of the irrational pharmacotherapy, possible causes and solutions of them. This investigation was designed as a qualitative structured questionnaire. The study was composed of two stages. The personal health records of 2001 of Siauliai, Panevezys and Utena counties residents were analyzed and the cases of irrational drug use were selected, examined and verified during the first stage. There were 318 personal health records analyzed and 111 cases of irrational drug use verified. The 23 problems of irrational pharmacotherapy were distinguished and classified according to the responsibilities. The viewpoints of the physicians to the problems of the irrational pharmacotherapy were confirmed and analyzed during the second stage of the study. Thirty-one physicians were interviewed and responses summarized.

Conclusions: 1. The irrational drug use took place in Siauliai, Panevezys and Utena counties of Lithuania in 2001. 2. Twenty-three types of problems of irrational pharmacotherapy can be distinguished. They can be classified into the 3 main levels according to the responsibility: the level of the administration (institution), the physician and the patient; other problems can be distinguished separately. 3. The most frequently specified by physicians possible reasons of the irrational drug use were the lack of information, the overcharge of the physician and the lack of the qualification. 4. The most frequently specified possible solutions of the irrational drug use by physicians were the growth of qualification, the establishment of the algorithms and the increase of the time spent per patient. 5. There was noticed particular tendency at the level of the physicians: physicians eliminated their responsibility at this level and related the problems with other levels--the levels of the administration (institution) and the patient.