Small group intervention vs formal seminar for improving appropriate drug use

In an attempt to evaluate the efficacy of different methods of interventions to improve the appropriate use of drugs for acute diarrhoea, a controlled study has been carried out in 6 districts in Yogyakarta and Central Java provinces, Indonesia. This study was designed to investigate the impacts of two different methods of educational intervention, i.e. a small group face-to-face intervention and a formal seminar for prescribers, on prescribing practice in acute diarrhoea. The districts were randomly assigned into 3 groups and 15 health centers were selected from each district. Prescribers in Group 1 underwent a small group face-to-face intervention conducted in the respective health center. Those in Group 2 attended a formal seminar conducted at the district level. Prescribers in Group 3 served as the control group. Both interventions were given on a single occasion without follow-up supervision or monitoring. Written information materials on the appropriate management of acute diarrhoea were developed and were provided to all prescribers in the intervention groups. Focus group discussions (FGDs) involving prescribers and consumers in the 6 districts were carried out to identify various underlying motivations of drug use in acute diarrhoea. The findings of the FGDs were used as part of the intervention materials. To evaluate the impacts of these interventions on prescribing practice, a prescribing survey for patients under five years old with acute diarrhoea was carried out in health centers covering 3-month periods before and after the intervention.