Lack of labeling and knowledge of dispensed drug may lead the patient to incorrect use, which in turn results in adverse effect. So the present study was undertaken with a cross sectional prospective study to assess the labeling and patient knowledge of dispensed drugs at Adulala Health Center Outpatient Pharmacy from January 23 to February 7, 2014. The data was analyzed by using statistical software package SPSS 16.0. A total of 302 patients were studied of which majority (62.6%) of them were females and 38.2% of the patients were in age group of 21-45. All the patients were aware of the dose and a majority (79.06%) of them about frequency. The labeling pattern of dispensed drugs attributes 100% in case of name, strength and expiry of the drug. Patient name was written in only 4.7% of the dispensed drugs. Out of a total 554 dispensed drugs most (46.93%) of them were dispensed for Chemotherapeutics to a majority (192) of the patients of 21-45 age groups. Sex has no association with patient knowledge on dose, frequency and duration (p-value=0.423, 0.630, 0.115) respectively. Conclusion: -The study depicts that dispensed drugs had poor labeling. Educational level and patient age have strong association with patient knowledge on dispensed drug whereas sex has no association with patient knowledge. Dispensing time was short. Not all prescribed medications are dispensed. The study showed that dispensed medications had poor labeling. Dispensing time was short when compared to WHO guidelines. Dispenser should have special concern to elderly and low level educational status patients. The facilities should also provide dispensers at pharmacy with marker for easy labeling in order to improve patient knowledge on their dispensed drug. Values for percentages of drugs actually dispensed are less, labeling of drugs and patient knowledge of the drug dispensed should be as high as possible. Furthermore, interventional study aimed at improving the quality of dispensing should be carried out using both labeling and knowledge scores. The dispensing time needs to be improved in order to allow patient ask questions what is not clear about their medication for improving rational drug use.
Key words: Labeling, Dispensed Drugs, Patient Care Indicators, East Shoa, Ethiopia
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