Treatment regimens of STD patients in Cameroon: a need for intervention

Abstract

Background and objectives: The management of patients with STDs is an important element in the fight against AIDS. To define effective STD control strategies a survey was carried out to understand the attitudes of STD patients and the treatment regimens they follow.

Study design: The study was based on interviews with male patients with typical symptoms of urethritis leaving private pharmacies in Douala and Yaoundé. Each case was asked to answer a questionnaire comprising the origin of the therapeutic choice, the nature and cost of the treatment and any advice received.

Results: Fifty-six men in Douala and 86 in Yaoundé were recruited. The sources of prescription were dispensary (38%, 54%) private MD (9%, 15%) pharmacist (7%, 9%), diverse (46%, 21%) in Douala and Yaoundé respectively. At least two medicines were recommended in three-quarters of the patients. The most frequently used antibiotics were aminoglycosides and penicillin. The cost of the treatment ranged from $3.50 to $110. The more "medical" the initial visit, the higher was the cost of the prescribed treatment. In Douala only 49% of the prescribers advised the patients to treat their partners and condom promotion was done by 21% of the prescribers.

Conclusion: This survey provides useful data on the care of patients with urethritis. Such surveys are simple, rapid, reasonable inexpensive (about $10,000) and contribute to the efficient design of STD control strategies. In addition, repeat survey to monitor the impact of the strategies are simple to carry out.