Development and validation of a medication safety self-assessment tool for primary healthcare settings in China

BackgroundMedication safety remains a global public health challenge, particularly in resource-constrained primary care settings. This study aimed to develop and validate a specific, proactive, medication safety self-assessment tool tailored for primary healthcare settings in China.MethodsA mixed-me...

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Main Authors: Shang Yong-guang, Qin Wang-jun, Guo Dong-jie, Li Peng-mei, Zhang Lei
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-08-01
Series:Frontiers in Medicine
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2025.1584286/full
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Summary:BackgroundMedication safety remains a global public health challenge, particularly in resource-constrained primary care settings. This study aimed to develop and validate a specific, proactive, medication safety self-assessment tool tailored for primary healthcare settings in China.MethodsA mixed-methods approach combining literature review, field investigations, a Delphi expert consultation (3 rounds), and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was implemented. Forty-three voluntarily participating settings completed the self-assessment, with effectiveness validated through correlation analysis between assessment scores and adverse drug events (ADEs) indicators (medication errors, dispensing/prescribing errors).ResultsWe constructed a medication safety self-assessment tool for primary care settings comprising 5 domains, 18 core characteristics, and 84 self-assessment items. The mean percent score for 43 participating primary care settings was 81.5% ± 11.7%, and Spearman’s rank correlations were used to examine the relationship between the overall assessment scores to the incidence of ADEs (Correlation Coefficient is −0.448, p = 0.003).ConclusionAs the first medication safety assessment tool for Chinese primary healthcare settings, based on current medication practices and validated through ADE, implementation demonstrates potential to enhance medication safety practices.
ISSN:2296-858X