The knowledge, awareness, and perception of healthcare professionals about appropriate prescribing in the elderly: Findings from Nigeria and South Africa

Rationale, Aims, and Objectives Inappropriate prescribing is associated with preventable morbidity and mortality in the elderly. The American Geriatrics‐Beers (AGS‐Beers) Criteria was developed to guide healthcare professionals (HCPs) to prescribe medications appropriately in the elderly. However, there is a dearth of information about the knowledge and awareness of HCPs of these criteria, and their perceptions of appropriate prescribing in the elderly. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge and perceptions of Nigerian and South African HCPs about appropriate prescribing in the elderly. Method A 32‐item questionnaire was self‐administered among consecutively selected HCPs (physicians, nurses, and pharmacists) in one teaching hospital each in Nigeria and South Africa. Seven questions including six clinical vignettes from the 2015 AGS‐Beers Criteria were used to assess the participants' knowledge.The participants' knowledge was classified based on the total score as poor (0‐3), fair (4, 5), and good (6, 7). The HCPs' perceptions of appropriate prescribing in the elderly were evaluated using a 5‐point Likert scale. Mann‐Whitney U test was used to evaluate ranked variables at P