title: An evaluation of knowledge, attitude and practices about prescribing fixed dose combinations among resident doctors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fixed Dose Combinations (FDCs) improve patient compliance and decrease pill burden. However, irrational prescribing of FDCs is a major health concern. As resident doctors are primarily involved in patient management at tertiary care hospitals, knowledge about prescribing FDCs is of paramount importance.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate knowledge, attitude and practice, regarding use of FDCs by resident doctors at a tertiary care teaching hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was carried out among resident doctors working at Civil Hospital, Ahmedabad, a tertiary care teaching hospital. One hundred resident doctors from the departments of medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, surgery, paediatrics, skin and psychiatry, who gave their informed consent, were enrolled. A prevalidated questionnaire regarding knowledge, attitude and prescribing practice of fixed dose combinations was filled up. Data was analyzed with suitable statistical tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of the 100 residents recruited for the study, 34, 33 and 33 residents were selected from the 1(st), 2(nd) and 3(rd) year respectively. The resident doctors were not aware about all of the advantages and disadvantages of FDCs. On an average, only 31% of the residents (lowest 16% among 1(st) year residents) had knowledge about the Essential Medicine List (EML). Knowledge about rationality of given FDCs was lacking in 81% of the residents. Only 47% could name a single banned FDC in India. Common sources of information about FDCs were medical representatives, colleagues/peers, the Monthly Index of Medical Specialities (MIMS) and Continuous Medical Education (CMEs). A majority of residents (96%) agreed that FDCs should be allowed to be marketed. The residents opined that most commonly prescribed FDCs were of antimicrobial drugs, amongst which amoxicillin + clavulanic acid was the most frequent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is need to improve knowledge about rationality, EML, usage and banned FDCs in post graduate medical students to promote the rational use of drugs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, B. J. Medical College, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.
authors.forename: Nimit
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Goswami
authors.forename: Anuradha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gandhi
authors.forename: Prakruti
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Ramkumar
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dikshit
keywords: Essential medicine list; fixed dose combinations; knowledge attitude and practice; resident doctors