@article{fdi:010049369,
  title = {{C}hild age or weight : difficulties related to the prescription of the right dosage of antimalarial combinations to treat children in {S}enegal},
  author = {{S}ouares, {A}urelia and {L}alou, {R}ichard and {S}enghor, {P}aul and {L}e {H}esran, {J}ean-{Y}ves},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{L}ess than a year after the introduction of amodiaquine ({AQ})/sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine ({SP}) as the first-line antimalarial treatment in {S}enegal, {O}ur study aimed to assess patients' drug intake and check its correspondence with nurses' prescription-adherence, the national guidelines regimen and theoretical dosage. {T}he study was conducted at five health centers. {C}hildren aged 2-10 years who were prescribed {AQ}/{SP} by the nurse were recruited. {A}t day 3, caregivers were questioned about treatment adherence. {W}e collected information about nurses' prescriptions and conducted in-depth interviews on prescription patterns. {A}mong the 289 children who were recruited, 35.3% took less than 80% of the prescribed doses. {N}evertheless, 47.7% and 83.7% respectively for {AQ} and {SP} received a dosage higher than the theoretical dosage. {A}ge-weight discrepancy leads to overprescribing drugs: nurses acknowledged using the child's age more often than weight to determine the dosage if the child has a low weight. {U}nder and overdosing are not only due to patient practices but causes related to national guidelines and health staff practices. {F}or successful implementation and utilization of antimalarial combinations in {A}frica, countries should really focus on nurses' training. {N}ational guidelines should also be based on national average weight instead of international tables.},
  keywords = {{M}alaria ; {C}hild ; {D}rugs ; {P}rescription ; {M}edication adherence ; {S}enegal},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{T}ransactions of the {R}oyal {S}ociety of {T}ropical {M}edicine and {H}ygiene},
  volume = {104},
  numero = {2},
  pages = {104--109},
  ISSN = {0035-9203},
  year = {2010},
  DOI = {10.1016/j.trstmh.2009.07.018},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010049369},
}