title: Dispensing habits of Johannesburg pharmacists in treating acute infantile diarrhoea.
abstract: Sixty pharmacists in Johannesburg were randomly selected and questioned on their suggested treatment of acute infantile diarrhoea as well as their knowledge of oral rehydration therapy (ORT); 53 (88%) responded. Of 51 pharmacists who had treated diarrhoea in children, 8 (16%) had never heard of ORT, while 20 (39%) treated this condition with antidiarrhoeal drugs. These findings are perturbing, because acute diarrhoeal disease is the biggest cause of mortality of children aged 1-4 years in South Africa and ORT is recognised as an effective means of prevention of death.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Barron
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ephraim
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hira
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kathawaroo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D003968:Diarrhea, Infantile / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010595:Pharmacists; D012380:Role; D013019:South Africa
chemical_list: D004366:Nonprescription Drugs