title: Analysis of medicine consumption in peacekeeping level II hospitals.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The peacekeeping military units of contributing countries are unfamiliar with the conditions prevailing in foreign mission areas and therefore have difficulties with medical supplies storage.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to provide reasonable and practical guidance on the maintenance of medical supplies in the peacekeeping military units of contributing countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 1,972 prescriptions were received by the pharmacy in the peacekeeping level II hospital in the Republic of Sudan from February to July of 2009 including a total of 186 drug categories and 17,713 minimum packing units. Pairwise comparison was performed using the c2 test. When the total number of samples was smaller than 40, the Fisher's exact test was adopted for pairwise comparison.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of the consumed medicines mainly belonged to 6 categories, including specialty drugs, anti-microbial drugs, Chinese patent medicines, gastrointestinal drugs, central nervous system drugs, and drugs regulating fluids, electrolytes, and acid-base balance. Altogether, the drugs in the 6 categories accounted for 74% of all consumed medicines that were divided into a total of 20 categories.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Medicine consumption in peacekeeping level II hospitals is unique, therefore the drugs used in military medical facilities should be prepared according to their actual needs in the area of peacekeeping operations.
authors.forename: Lan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.forename: Huiling
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Chunfeng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: maxxianxianxian@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Guangkai
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002491:Central Nervous System Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002681:China; D003879:Dermatologic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006728:Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006772:Hospitals, Military / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D013397:Sudan; D014815:Vitamins / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D002491:Central Nervous System Agents; D003879:Dermatologic Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents; D006728:Hormones; D014815:Vitamins