A systematic review and meta-analysis of patients' exit knowledge and associated factors for drugs dispensed at outpatient pharmacies in Ethiopia.

Abstract

Background: Patients' knowledge of dispensed drugs is essential to prevent preventable patient mortality and facilitating their recovery from illnesses. Several studies have been conducted in Ethiopia, but the overall level of patients' exit knowledge about the dispensed drugs and associated factors has not been estimated. The objective of this review is to assess overall level patients' exit knowledge of dispensed drugs and associated factors in Ethiopia.

Methods and materials: Only articles published in English were included in this review. PubMed, EMBASE and CINAHL, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Scopus, Ethiopian University Repository Online, and the Cochrane Library are the main databases. The review included cross-sectional studies written in English that met the inclusion criteria. Using a random effects model, the overall level patients' exit knowledge of dispensed drugs was estimated. Additionally, funnel plots and Eggers' test were used to assess publication bias. STATA version 14 was used to perform all statistical analyzes.

Results: This review included 10 studies involving 3,431 patients in Ethiopia. In Ethiopia, the overall patients' knowledge towards dispensed drugs was 50.73% [95% CI (31.81; 69.66); I2 = 99.4%, P < 0.001]. The patients' exit knowledge of dispensed drugs was statistically associated with the education level of the patients and the availability of adequate drug information.

Conclusions: One in two patients has good knowledge of dispended drugs in Ethiopia. Therefore, patients need special attention when dispensing drugs and leaving a health facility. Furthermore, the Ethiopian government, pharmacists, and other stakeholders must take immediate action to improve patients' knowledge about dispensed drugs in Ethiopia and identified factors.

Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42024544256, identifier: CRD42024544256.