OBJECTIVES:

This study determined the direct medical cost of managing gastrointestinal tract (GIT) problems among adult residents of a Nigerian community during the end-of-year festive period.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study was carried out in two Pharmacy outlets in Ezinifite, Aguata Local Government Area, Anambra State, Nigeria. The validated questionnaire was administered to clients who purchased drugs for GIT-related issues. The collated questionnaires were coded into and analysed using IBM Statistical Products and Services Solution Version-25. Appropriate descriptive and inferential statistics were conducted on the data, with p < 0.05 being considered statistically significant.

RESULTS: A total of 53 clients responded to the questionnaire, 29 (54.7%) of whom were females. The average number of drugs purchased by the respondents per visit was 2.09 ± 0.1. The total number of drugs purchased was 111, with the most frequently purchased drugs being loperamide, metronidazole, and antacids: 23 (20.7 %), 21 (18.9 %), and 17 (15.3 %) respectively. Diarrhoea alone, 12 (22.6 %), and diarrhoea with abdominal cramps, 11 (20.8 %), were the most common suspected conditions for requesting for the drugs, although 39 (73.6 %) respondents reported that no healthcare professional prescribed the drugs for them. The mean cost of drugs purchased by the respondents was N 382.21 ($1.06) while the total cost of drugs purchased within the period was N 20,300.00 ($56.15). Place of residence was the only significant sociodemographic factor that predicted the cost of drugs purchased by the client (p = 0.046): respondents who lived in urban areas purchased more expensive drugs than those residing in the rural areas.

CONCLUSIONS: Most clients in the community purchased drugs from Pharmacy outlets for GIT-related issues during the end-of-year festive period without prescriptions. However, both the level of polypharmacy and the total cost of the purchased drugs were low.

Keywords: Direct medical cost, Festive period, Gastrointestinal tract.