E-drug: Injection practices in two governorates in Egypt
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[Copied as fair use. HH]
Overview of injection practices in two governorates in Egypt
Trop Med Int Health 2003 Mar;8(3):234-41.
Talaat M, El-Oun S, Kandeel A, Abu-Rabei W, Bodenschatz C,
Lohiniva AL, Hallaj Z, Mahoney FJ.
US Naval Medical Research Unit, Cairo, Egypt Ministry of Health and
Population, Cairo, Egypt Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office,
World Health Organization, Cairo, Egypt US Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, Atlanta, USA.
OBJECTIVE: To describe the extent and characteristics of injection
use and injection providers in Egypt, given that unsafe injections are
associated with blood-borne pathogen transmission.
METHODS: Household surveys of a population-based sample of
residents in the Nile Delta and in Upper Egypt; focus group
discussions and in-depth interviews with community target groups,
formal and informal medical providers.
RESULTS: Of 4197 persons interviewed, 26.2% reported receiving
an injection in the past 3 months. Of these, 77% reported it was for
therapeutic indications. The age-sex specific prevalence of injections
was highest among children 0-2 years of age and among older
adults. Women were more likely to report having an injection than
men, particularly at the age above 20 years. Overall, respondents
reported receiving on average 4.2 injections per year, indicating that
up to 281 million injections are provided per year in Egypt. Injection
administrators were public and private sector physicians,
pharmacists, barbers, doctor assistants, housekeepers, relatives and
friends. Injection prescribers were mostly private and public sector
physicians. Of the 1101 respondents who received an injection in the
past 3 months, 92 (8.4%) reported that the provider did not use a
syringe taken from a closed sealed packet.
CONCLUSION: The frequency of therapeutic injection use is high in
Egypt and may contribute to blood-borne pathogen transmission. The
Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP) is developing interventions
targeted towards promotion of injection safety and reduction of
injection overuse on community basis as part of a comprehensive
strategy to prevent blood-borne pathogen transmission in Egypt.
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