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A review of medication errors in iran: sources, underreporting reasons and preventive measures
Ava Mansouri1, Alireza Ahmadvand2, Molouk Hadjibabaie3
1Research Center for Rational Use of Drugs, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract:
Medication error (ME) is the most common preventable cause of adverse drug events which negatively affects patient safety. Inadequate, low-quality studies plus wide estimation variations in ME from developing countries including Iran, decreases the reliability of ME evaluations. To clarify sources, underreporting reasons and preventive measures of MEs, we reviewed Iran current available literature. We searched Scopus, WOS, PubMed, CINAHL, EBSCOHOST and Persian databases (IranMedex, and SID) up to October 2012. Two authors independently selected and one reviewed and extracted data. Results reported by more than 30% of studies considered as the most important topics. Finally 25 articles were included. All study designs were cross-sectional (except for two interventional studies) and in hospital settings. Nursing staff and students were the most observed populations. Individual factor, with "inadequate knowledge of medication" as its most frequent reason, were the mostly reported source of MEs. Fear and reporting process were two most important reporting barriers. The sense of being reprimanded and ignoring to report respectively were their most frequent factors. Anti-infectives were the most frequent drugs involved in MEs. Preventive measures were varied and reporting of their effectiveness was inconsistent. There are still many research gaps which need to be explored by further studies. Based on our findings, further researches may be focused on design, implementation, and evaluation of a ME reporting system as groundwork, assessing systems-related factors to ME alongside individual factors and evaluating the effectiveness of preventive measures for MEs in trials.
Insights
Medication errors (MEs) are a major patient safety concern. This review highlights inadequate knowledge and reporting barriers as key issues in Iran, emphasizing the need for improved reporting systems and further research.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare
- Patient Safety
- Pharmacovigilance
Background:
- Medication errors (MEs) are a leading cause of preventable adverse drug events, significantly impacting patient safety.
- Existing evaluations of MEs in developing countries, including Iran, suffer from low-quality studies and wide estimation variations, reducing reliability.
- Clarifying ME sources, underreporting reasons, and preventive strategies is crucial for improving healthcare quality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and synthesize available literature on medication errors in Iran.
- To identify the primary sources, barriers to reporting, and preventive measures related to medication errors.
- To highlight research gaps and suggest future research directions in the field of medication errors.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive literature search was conducted across major international (Scopus, WOS, PubMed, CINAHL, EBSCOHOST) and Persian (IranMedex, SID) databases up to October 2012.
- Two authors independently selected and one reviewed/extracted data from the identified articles.
- Twenty-five articles were included in the final analysis, with a focus on results reported by over 30% of studies.
Main Results:
- The majority of studies were cross-sectional and conducted in hospital settings, primarily observing nursing staff and students.
- Inadequate knowledge of medication was the most frequent individual factor contributing to MEs.
- Fear of reprimand and issues with the reporting process were identified as significant barriers to reporting MEs, with anti-infectives being the most commonly involved drug class.
Conclusions:
- Significant research gaps exist in understanding and mitigating medication errors in Iran.
- Future research should focus on developing and evaluating robust ME reporting systems, exploring system-related factors alongside individual ones, and assessing the effectiveness of preventive interventions.
- Addressing knowledge deficits and reporting barriers is essential for enhancing patient safety and reducing adverse drug events.
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