000			02736nam a22003017a 4500
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005			20240305193719.0
008			221031b |||||||| |||| 00| 0 eng d
022			_a 1821-9241
022			_a1821-6404
028			_b Phone: +255 28 298 3384
028			_b Fax: +255 28 298 3386
028			_b Email: vc@bugando.ac.tz
028			_b Website: www.bugando.ac.tz
040			_cDLC
041			_aEnglish
100			_aStanley Mwita _922957
222			_a medicines availability, elderly people, exemption policy, Tanzania
245			_aAvailability of prescribed medicines for elders at Sekou-Toure regional referral hospital in Mwanza, Tanzania
260			_aMwanza: _bTanzania Journal of Health Research & _bTanzania Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences [CUHAS – Bugando] _c 2017/10/31
490			_vTanzania Journal of Health Research Volume 19 Issue 4
520			_aAbstract Many older people are unable to afford even basic treatment, let alone, the medications needed to control chronic diseases that become more prevalent in older age. This study was conducted to assess the implementation of the Tanzania national exemption policy on availability of prescribed medicines in elderly people. This cross-sectional study was conducted at Sekou-Toure Regional Referral Hospital in Mwanza, Tanzania, from April to June 2016. Randomly selected outpatients aged above 60 years who attended the hospital were involved in the study. Data were collected by using interview guided questionnaire. Each patient was privately interviewed to obtain information on availability of medicines prescribed and whether or not the medicines were provided free-of-charge according to the exemption policy. A total of 100 outpatients were involved in the study. The mean age was 66.25 years (range= 60 to 87 years). About one-third (31%) were members of social security fund receiving monthly retirement pension. Only 27% (p-value=0.44) of elders received all medicines as per prescription. Majority of elder patients (39.7%) received 50% of prescribed medicines per prescription while 4.1% did not receive any medicine prescribed and only 1.4% received 80% of medicines prescribed. Results show that almost 50% of elders with diabetes received all anti-diabetics prescribed while 37% of elders received all antihypertensive prescribed. There is poor availability of medicines used by elderly people at Sekou-Toure Regional Mwanza thus elders do not get free medicines as per national cost sharing policy.
700			_a Nankondo Tunzo _944909
700			_a Mary Jande _919654
700			_a Kayo Hamasaki _919693
856			_uhttps://doi.org/10.4314/thrb.v19i4.9
942			_2ddc _cVM
999			_c19214 _d19214