Attitudes Towards the Practice of Rational Drug Use by Practitioners and Factors Influencing Drug Writing

Introduction: The purpose of this research is to investigate the attitudes of practitioners working in different departments and sectors on rational drug use (RDU) and the factors influencing prescribing. Method: The study was conducted with the physicians working in family health centers and hospitals in Malatya province center with face-to-face interviews. The questionnaire was implemented to 132 practitioners.The questionnaire was composed of 12 questions inquiring socio-demographic features, rational use of drugs and factors influencing prescription. Results: Of the participants 66,7% had 10 years or more of professional experience and 89,4% stated that they prescribed analgesics and derivatives, 8,3% antibiotics. More than half of the physicians stated that post-graduate education and promotions of drug companies influence their prescribing drugs. Conclusion: It has been reached that physicians' writing of medicines is influenced by the presentation of pharmaceutical companies and in drugs election all of the rational drug selection criteira are not given the same importance by physicians. Physicians were detected to be influenced from the promotions of drug companies but all criteria of rational drug use were not cared equally