Prof. Gedif, TeferiGirma, Mengistu2020-12-162023-11-062020-12-162023-11-062020-08http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/24147Mental disorders are becoming issue of public health priority globally and their prevalence is increasing in recent times. Subsequently, psychotropic medicines are widely used for treatment mental disorders. However, medicines utilization studies have revealed irrational psychotropic medicines use is a serious problem worldwide and there is a dearth of information on psychotropic medicines utilization pattern in developing countries including Ethiopia. This study was conducted to assess psychotropic medicines utilization pattern in Hadiya Zone public hospitals namely Hoomacho and Shone primary hospitals and Wachemo University Nigist Eleni Memorial Teaching Hospital. Hospital based cross sectional study was conducted from June 15 2019 to December 30 2019. Medical charts were reviewed retrospectively using data abstraction format and Patients’ interview and observational assessment were conducted prospectively using questionnaires. Data were entered and analyzed using EPI stata version 3 and SPSS version 20. Out of the 1200 psychiatry patients’ for whom their medical charts were reviewed, majority 655(54.6%) were males; and in age group of 15-29 years 760(63.3%); with mean age 29.5 (SD±15). Regarding diagnosis, majority of psychiatric cases were diagnosed with psychosis 330(27.50%) followed by schizophrenia 188(15.67%). From the total of 1734 prescribed psychotropic medicines, most commonly prescribed medicines were antipsychotics 834(48.1%) followed by antidepressants 446(25.7%%) anticonvulsants or mood stabilizers 288(16.6%). The three most commonly prescribed antipsychotic medicines, chlorpromazine, haloperidol, and thioridazine constituted 71.34% of antipsychotic utilized in Hadiya Zone Public hospitals. Typical antipsychotics were prescribed more often 616(73.86%) than atypical antipsychotics 218(26.14%). Amitriptyline was the most frequently prescribed antidepressant 334(74.9%) followed by Fluoxetine 98(21.8%). Treatment switch was undertaken for 148(12.33%) patients and main reasons were poor control/improvement 46(33.1%), relapse 29(20.9%) and side effect 22(15.8%). Average number of psychotropic medicines per encounter was 1.5. However, the percentage of clients prescribed two or more psychotropic medicines was 36.1% that shows polyphrmacy prescribing practice. The average consultation and dispensing time were 9.1 minutes and 51.87 seconds respectively. Frequency was labeled only on 60(19.5%) dispensed medicines and 113(36.8%) patients had knowledge on doses of their medicines. Conclusion and recommendation: Antipsychotics were most commonly utilized psychotropic medicines followed by antidepressants and anticonvulsants. Chlorpromazine, Amitriptyline and Risperidone showed higher proportion of utilized medicines. More than one-third psychiatric patients were prescribed psychotropic polyphrmacy. Close to a tenth of psychiatric patients had treatment switch. Average consultation and dispensing times was constrained. Most patients’ medications were dispensed without adequate labeling and patients’ knowledge about dispensed medications were limited. Further, prospective continuous study on both prevalence and use pattern need to be undertaken to get more information on psychotropic medicines utilization.en-USMental disorders, psychotropic medicines, utilization pattern, antipsychotics and antidepressantsThesis