Prioritization for Rational Use of Antirheumatic Drugs: Strategic Development for Sustainable Health Policies

Consumption of antirheumatic drugs is known to be very high. It is important to support the rational use of these drugs. In this context, the study aims to develop a prioritized strategy to ensure rational consumption of antirheumatic drugs. Accordingly, a literature-based criteria set is created, and a 3-stage analysis is performed. In the first stage, Taxicab distance-based clustering analysis is performed for expert selection. The entropy method is used to weight the identified criteria. It is seen that the most important criterion is lifestyle factor (w=0,37). The alternative analysis for this criterion is performed with the ARAS method. Both methods are integrated with Fermatean fuzzy numbers to minimize uncertainty. The results of the alternative analysis show that the most optimal strategies are increasing physical activity (w=0,94) and healthy dietary practices (w=0,78). There is a need to encourage individuals taking antirheumatic drugs to engage in aerobic exercise and healthy eating.