TY - JOUR
T1 - A Comparative Analysis of Patient Profiles and Health Service Utilization between Patent Medicine Vendors and Community Pharmacists in Nigeria
AU - Adepoju, Victor Abiola
AU - Oladimeji, Olanrewaju
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 by the authors.
PY - 2023/9
Y1 - 2023/9
N2 - Background: This study examined Nigeria’s socio-demographic profiles and health service utilization patterns of Patent Medicine Vendors (PMVs) and Community Pharmacists (CPs). Method: A cross-sectional study using a structured self-administered questionnaire among 405 retail outlets (322 PMVs and 83 CPs) across 16 Lagos and Kebbi Local Government Areas (LGAs) between June 2020 and December 2020. Results: Results showed that 60.4% were male, 76.3% from Lagos, 58.3% had tertiary education, and 74.1% had medical training. Cough and fever were common symptoms. Significant differences were found in the utilization of STD services (PMVs: 9.2%, CPs: 12.3%, p = 0.03), services by age <15 (PMVs: 54.3, CPs: 61.2, p < 0.001), and utilization by males (PMVs: 50.8, CPs: 47.1, p = 0.013). The study revealed that men visited PMVs more, while CPs used more STI services and childhood visits. Conclusions: The findings suggest that expanding health services among PMVs could target male-dominant diseases, and capacity building of CPs on syndromic STI management could reduce the STI burden.
AB - Background: This study examined Nigeria’s socio-demographic profiles and health service utilization patterns of Patent Medicine Vendors (PMVs) and Community Pharmacists (CPs). Method: A cross-sectional study using a structured self-administered questionnaire among 405 retail outlets (322 PMVs and 83 CPs) across 16 Lagos and Kebbi Local Government Areas (LGAs) between June 2020 and December 2020. Results: Results showed that 60.4% were male, 76.3% from Lagos, 58.3% had tertiary education, and 74.1% had medical training. Cough and fever were common symptoms. Significant differences were found in the utilization of STD services (PMVs: 9.2%, CPs: 12.3%, p = 0.03), services by age <15 (PMVs: 54.3, CPs: 61.2, p < 0.001), and utilization by males (PMVs: 50.8, CPs: 47.1, p = 0.013). The study revealed that men visited PMVs more, while CPs used more STI services and childhood visits. Conclusions: The findings suggest that expanding health services among PMVs could target male-dominant diseases, and capacity building of CPs on syndromic STI management could reduce the STI burden.
KW - community pharmacists
KW - drug shops
KW - patent medicine vendors
KW - service utilization
KW - signs and symptoms
KW - tuberculosis
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85172257852&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/healthcare11182484
DO - 10.3390/healthcare11182484
M3 - Article
C2 - 37761681
AN - SCOPUS:85172257852
SN - 2227-9032
VL - 11
JO - Healthcare (Switzerland)
JF - Healthcare (Switzerland)
IS - 18
M1 - 2484
ER -