Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health

The Korean Society for Preventive Medicine (대한예방의학회)
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Drug Prescription Indicators in Outpatient Services in Social Security Organization Facilities in Iran

  • Afsoon Aeenparast (Health Metrics Research Center, Iranian Institute for Health Sciences Research, Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research (ACECR)) ;
  • Ali Asghar Haeri Mehrizi (Health Metrics Research Center, Iranian Institute for Health Sciences Research, Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research (ACECR)) ;
  • Farzaneh Maftoon (Health Metrics Research Center, Iranian Institute for Health Sciences Research, Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research (ACECR)) ;
  • Faranak Farzadi (Health Metrics Research Center, Iranian Institute for Health Sciences Research, Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research (ACECR))
  • Received : 2023.09.24
  • Accepted : 2024.03.19
  • Published : 2024.05.31
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Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to estimate drug prescription indicators in outpatient services provided at Iran Social Security Organization (SSO) healthcare facilities. Methods: Data on all prescribed drugs for outpatient visits from 2017 to 2018 were extracted from the SSO database. The data were categorized into 4 main subgroups: patient characteristics, provider characteristics, service characteristics, and type of healthcare facility. Logistic regression models were used to detect risk factors for inappropriate drug prescriptions. SPSS and IBM Modeler software were utilized for data analysis. Results: In 2017, approximately 150 981 752 drug items were issued to outpatients referred to SSO healthcare facilities in Iran. The average number of drug items per outpatient prescription was estimated at 3.33. The proportion of prescriptions that included an injection was 17.5%, and the rate of prescriptions that included an antibiotic was 37.5%. Factors such as patient sex and age, provider specialty, type of facility, and time of outpatient visit were associated with the risk of inappropriate prescriptions. Conclusions: In this study, all drug prescription criteria exceeded the recommended limits set by the World Health Organization. To improve the current prescription patterns throughout the country, it would be beneficial to provide providers with monthly and annual reports and to consider implementing some prescription policies for physicians.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This research was designed and implemented by the Iranian Institute for Health Sciences Research and financially supported by Social Security Organization (SSO) Research Institute. We would like to thank the SSO members and Tamin ICT & Management Consultancy Services Company, which collaborated in data extraction.

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