An Appraisal about Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Fixed Dose Combinations among Medical Students and Resident Doctors at a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital
Author(s): Brigida S*, Soujania, Arul Amutha Elizabeth and Poornima
Abstract
Awareness is the key for any ignorance. Fixed Dose Combinations (FDCs) are preferred by physicians as well as patients. Physician choice being favourable patient compliance and patient’s choice being a smaller number of pill purport. Knowledge on prescribing FDCs rationally is a skill which needs to be practised from the start of medical curriculum that is second year MBBS students and during internship. CRRIs, junior and senior resident doctors were the key persons facing the task of managing patients at tertiary care hospitals. Even for the second-year students it is a basic stone to step up in the knowledge ladder about prescription of FDCs. Hence this study is of most significant step which throws light in knowing their knowledge about the available, approved FDCs and its rationale behind FDC prescription. To appraise knowledge, attitude, and prescribing practice, of FDCs among Medical students, CRRIs, Junior and senior residents at a tertiary care teaching hospital. The study was conducted among medical students, CRRIs, Junior and senior residents working at Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital, Chennai, a tertiary care hospital. 100 responses were collected after obtaining informed consent.A corroborated questionnaire regarding knowledge; attitude and prescribing practice of fixed dose combinations was used as a tool. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics. Out of 100 responses collected, 19 were from second year students 34 were from interns, 16 were from postgraduates,10 and 21 were from junior and senior resident doctors.89% were aware about the preparation of FDC, 68% know the governing authority of FDC is CDSCO, an average of 50% know of the advantages and disadvantages of FDCs. 67% of doctors were aware of pharmacological basis of acceptance of FDCs.72% know the benefits of rational prescription of FDCs. 62% accepts the most common FDC is used in treating diabetes.73% suggest Amoxicillin and clavulanic acid as most common antibiotic. Most of them need a periodic update on the banned list of FDC in India. Common sources of information about FDCs were Books, conferences, pharmaceutical brochures, monthly/yearly drug index, journals, internet. 10% genuinely accepts that the one component in a FDC was prescribed without their need for the patient. 78% suggested improvement behind the rationale in preparing FDC and they accept that FDCs are allowed to be marketed. Medical field is all about updating once knowledge regarding the current and obsolete medications and always there is a scope to patch the gap to improvise their knowledge about rational FDCs which can facilitates them in this skill, a mutual benefiter to the doctor as well as the patient.