title: Assessment of a 1-year teaching programme in Zanzibar, Tanzania.
abstract: We assessed whether a 1-year teaching programme in northern Zanzibar would improve prescribing practice. Data on polypharmacy and appropriateness of the treatment of upper-respiratory infection, anaemia, and scabies from the 17 primary health-care units in northern Zanzibar were analysed before and after the teaching programme. There was a significant and sustained reduction in polypharmacy and an improvement in the treatment of upper-respiratory infection, scabies, and anaemia. This teaching programme has been successful in improving prescribing practices in a less-developed country.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Birrell
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Birrell
mesh_terms: D000740:Anemia / Q000188:drug therapy; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004517:Education, Professional; D006801:Humans; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D012532:Scabies / Q000188:drug therapy; D013636:Tanzania