Factors Affecting the Prescribing Pattern of Non-steroidal Anti-Infammatory Drugs at Outpatient Departments in Government and Private Polyclinics in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah Md. Shamsur Rahman 1* , David Matanjun 1 , M. Tanveer Hossain Parash 1 , Sadia Choudhury Shimmi 1 , Tan Tek Song 2 , Urban John Arnold D’Souza 1 , Fairrul Kadir 3 , Che Ismail Che Noh 1 1 Department of Biomedical Science and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. 2 Department of Pathobiology and Medical Diagnostics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. 3 Department of Medicine Based Discipline, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. *Corresponding author’s email: shamsur@ums.edu.my (Received: 18 September 2017; Accepted: 29 September 2017) ABSTRACT The main objective of this study was to obtain information regarding the effects of educational and socio-economic status of the patients on the prescribing pattern of non-steroidal anti- infammatory drugs (NSAIDs) by the qualifed medical personnel in the outpatient departments (OPDs) of two selected polyclinics in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. A total of 200 selected patients (100 from each polyclinic) attending the OPDs were interviewed using a questionnaire. Again data were collected, photocopied and later analyzed. Educated and higher income group of patients mostly attended in a Private Polyclinic (PPC) whereas less educated and lower income group of patients generally attended UMS Polyclinic (UPC). This was reported as a probable reason for the wide variations in the prescribing pattern with respect to pharmacological sub- classes of NSAIDs in the OPDs of two polyclinics. The present results strongly support that probable reason. The number of patients taking NSAIDs before coming to hospital was more in PPC compared to UPC. They were infuenced by pharmacists, friends and doctor’s advice given previously. In conclusion, it may be mentioned that overall prescribing pattern of NSAIDs among two polyclinics is rational. Keywords: NSAIDs, prescribing pattern, socio- economic status INTRODUCTION Patients have been using drugs for a long time to cure or control diseases and symptoms. Drugs can either do good or harm to the users. ‘The desire to take medicines is perhaps the greatest feature that distinguishes humans from animals’. 1 Indiscriminate use of drugs also can endanger patients’ lives. Drug therapy therefore requires knowledge, judgment, skill and wisdom, but above all a sense of responsibility. 1 Irrational prescribing has further complicated the drug use problem. Numerous studies done at developed and developing countries, describe it as a pattern consisting of polypharmacy, use of drugs that are not related to the diagnosis, irrational use of antibiotics and self- medication, with many drugs taken in insuffcient quantities. 2 Rational prescribing is therefore one important aspect of rational use of drugs. One of the most widely used and abused drugs all over the world are painkillers. Fever and pain are usually the early symptoms of most of the infammatory diseases. From the very beginning of human civilization, man has been trying to fnd the way of controlling these symptoms and maintaining good health. The introduction of non-steroidal anti-infammatory drugs (NSAIDs) was a landmark event and soon these drugs became the most widely-used medication not only for the relief of pain and fever but also for their anti-infammatory effect. 3 Like most drugs, they are double-edged swords. So, sporadic consumption of NSAIDs may subside the symptoms for time being but the actual pathology may sometimes not only be hindered but also be aggravated, complicated and even turn to fatality in some cases. 4, 5 It was shown that analgesics with no or minimal anti-infammatory effects became the most commonly prescribed NSAIDs in the OPD of UPC. On the contrary, analgesics with potent anti-infammatory effects became the most commonly prescribed NSAIDs in PPC. 6 Original Article