NGHIÊN CỨU TÌNH HÌNH SỬ DỤNG VÀ XÁC ĐỊNH CÁC YẾU TỐ LIÊN QUAN ĐẾN VIỆC SỬ DỤNG HỢP LÝ TRONG KẾT HỢP THUỐC HÓA DƯỢC VÀ THUỐC DƯỢC LIỆU TẠI MỘT SỐ CƠ SỞ Y TẾ THUỘC TỈNH BẠC LIÊU

Abstract

Background: The combination of chemical drugs and herbal drugs is increasingly common to leverage the benefits of both medical systems. However, this practice poses potential risks regarding Drug-Related Problems (DRP) if not strictly controlled. Objectives: To evaluate and identify irrational issues in prescriptions; To determine the proportion of rational combined use of chemical and herbal medicines; To identify factors associated with the irrationality of this combined use. Materials and method: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 1,057 outpatient prescriptions containing both chemical and herbal drugs at three medical facilities in Bac Lieu province. Data were analyzed using SPSS 25.0 software, employing logistic regression to identify associated factors with a significance level of p<0.05. Results: The proportion of prescriptions with at least one DRP was 71.7%, with only 28.3% considered rational. The most common issues were dosage error (60.5%), timing of administration (32.2%), and interaction (9.5%). Statistically significant factors associated with DRP included the healthcare facility, type of examination, doctor's seniority, number of drugs, and patient age. Notably, using 5 or more drugs increased the risk of DRP by 2.23 times (OR=2.23), and the combined East-West medicine examination type presented high risk (OR=6.72). Conclusion: The rate of irrational prescriptions in the combination of chemical and herbal drugs remains high. It is essential to strengthen clinical pharmacy supervision on combining use of chemical and herbal medicines.