AUTHOR=Rasool Muhammad Fawad , Rehman Anees ur , Imran Imran , Abbas Sameen , Shah Shahid , Abbas Ghulam , Khan Irfanullah , Shakeel Sadia , Ahmad Hassali Mohamed Azmi , Hayat Khezar 

TITLE=Risk Factors Associated With Medication Errors Among Patients Suffering From Chronic Disorders

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=8

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2020.531038

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2020.531038

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Introduction:</bold> Medication error is unintentional and can be reduced by reducing the risk factors. Patients suffering from chronic diseases are at an increased risk of medication errors.</p><p><bold>Objective:</bold> This work aims to assess the risk factors associated with medication errors among patients suffering from chronic disorders in hospitals of South Punjab, Pakistan.</p><p><bold>Methodology:</bold> Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to assess the impact of different risk factors on the prevalence of medication errors in patients suffering from chronic diseases.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> A greater risk for the occurrence of medication errors was associated with age ≥60 years (odds ratio, OR = 1.9; 95% CI = 1.3–3.1; <italic>p</italic> = 0.001), overburdened healthcare system (OR = 2.2; 95% CI = 1.64–3.56; <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.000), number of prescribed drugs ≥5 (OR = 1.74; 95% CI = 1.02–2.64; <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.000), comorbidities (OR = 2.6; 95% CI = 1.72–3.6; <italic>p</italic> = 0.003), Charlson comorbidity index (OR = 1.31; 95% CI = 0.49–1.84; <italic>p</italic> = 0.004), and multiple prescribers to one patient (OR = 1.12; 95% CI = 0.64–1.76; <italic>p</italic> = 0.001).</p><p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> Older age, overburdened healthcare system, number of prescribed drugs, comorbidities, Charlson comorbidity index, and multiple prescribers to one patient are significant risk factors for the occurrence of medication errors.</p>