Comparative Analysis of Prescribing Practices Before and After Pharmacist-Led Educational Interventions at Secondary Hospitals in Ogun State, South West Nigeria

Educational interventions targeting prescribers are an evidence-based strategy for improving rational drug use in healthcare settings. However, empirical comparisons of prescribing quality before and after such interventions are scarce in Nigerian secondary hospital contexts. This study conducted a comparative analysis of prescribing practices before and after a structured pharmacist-led educational intervention at secondary hospitals in Ogun State, South West Nigeria. A quasi-experimental interrupted time series design was used across six hospitals. Baseline prescription audits of 600 prescriptions were conducted, followed by a structured four-month pharmacist-led educational program encompassing workshops, prescribing feedback sessions, and clinical case discussions for medical officers and nurses. Post-intervention audit of 600 prescriptions was conducted three months after program completion. WHO rational drug use indicators were used as primary outcome measures. Post-intervention results showed significant improvements in generic prescribing rate from 41 percent to 68 percent, antibiotic prescribing rate reduction from 70 percent to 49 percent, and average drugs per prescription reduction from 4.1 to 2.9. Injectable prescribing decreased from 26 percent to 17 percent. Essential medicines prescribing increased from 63 percent to 79 percent. Improvements were sustained at six-month follow-up in four of six hospitals. These results demonstrate that pharmacist-led educational programs can meaningfully improve prescribing quality in secondary Nigerian hospitals and support investment in sustained prescriber education initiatives. Keywords: prescribing practices, educational intervention, pharmacist-led program, Ogun State, rational drug use