Physician responses to a community-level trial promoting judicious antibiotic use

CLINICAL AND BEHAVIORAL PRACTICES OF PRIMARY HEALTHCARE PHYSICIANS IN ANTIBIOTICS PRESCRIBING IN GREECE

OBJECTIVE

Aim: To evaluate primary health physicians' clinical and behavioral practices towards antibiotics administration in a specific region in Greece.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Materials and methods: A cross sectional study was conducted using a questionnaire in all structures of primary health care (PHC) of the Peloponnese Region. The study was conducted in May-October 2020.

RESULTS

Results: In total, 306 out of 404 primary healthcare physicians completed the questionnaire (response rate of 75.8%). Our results showed that most of physicians used to prescribing antibiotics empirically in common diseases, except for the prevention of secondary respiratory tract infection. Overall, 66.3% answered that they do not feel diagnostic uncertainty that would lead them to prescribe antibiotics. Approximately 40% of the physicians stated an increase on antibiotics use and patients demand for antibiotic prescribing, however 71.4% "rarely/never" affected by this requirement. 51.9% of the sample used to prescribed brand name antibiotics. Statistically significant differences were found between demographic and professional characteristics, and physicians' clinical and behavioral practices (p≤ 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Conclusions: Our findings could provide decision makers with information on how to manage antibiotic prescribing in primary health care in the country, focusing mainly on the use of specific diagnostic tests as well as relevant guidelines and protocols for changing prescription behavior.

The impact of Antimicrobial Stewardship Programmes in paediatric emergency departments and primary care: a systematic review

Background

Antibiotics remain the most prescribed medicine in children worldwide, but half of the prescriptions are unnecessary or inappropriate, leading to an increase in antibiotic resistance. This study aims to systemically review the effects of different Antimicrobial Stewardship Programmes (ASPs) on reducing the rates of both antibiotic prescriptions and changes in antimicrobial resistance, and on the economic impact in paediatric emergency departments (PED) and primary care settings.

Materials and methods

Embase, MEDLINE, and Cochrane Library were systematically searched, combining Medical Subject Heading and free-text terms for 'children' and 'antimicrobial' and 'stewardship'. The search strategy involved restrictions on dates (from 1 January 2007 to 30 December 2020) but not on language. Randomized controlled trials, controlled and non-controlled before and after studies, controlled and non-controlled interrupted time series, and cohort studies were included for review. The review protocol was registered at the PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews: Registration Number CRD42021270630.

Results

Of the 47,158 articles that remained after removing duplicates, 59 were eligible for inclusion. Most of the studies were published after 2015 (37/59, 62.7%) and in high-income countries (51/59, 86.4%). Almost half of the studies described the implementation of an ASP in the primary care setting (28/59, 47.5%), while 15 manuscripts described the implementation of ASPs in EDs (15/59, 25.4%). More than half of the studies (43/59, 72.9%) described the implementation of multiple interventions, whereas few studies considered the implementation of a single intervention. Antibiotic prescriptions and compliance with guidelines were the most frequent outcomes (47/59, 79.7% and 20/59, 33.9%, respectively). Most of the articles reported an improvement in these outcomes after implementing an ASP. Meanwhile, only very few studies focused on health care costs (6/59, 10.2%) and antimicrobial resistance (3/59 5.1%).

Conclusion

The implementation of ASPs has been proven to be feasible and valuable, even in challenging settings such as Emergency Departments and Primary care.

Public target interventions to reduce the inappropriate use of medicines or medical procedures: a systematic review

Background

An epidemic of health disorders can be triggered by a collective manifestation of inappropriate behaviors, usually systematically fueled by non-medical factors at the individual and/or societal levels. This study aimed to (1) landscape and assess the evidence on interventions that reduce inappropriate demand of medical resources (medicines or procedures) by triggering behavioral change among healthcare consumers, (2) map out intervention components that have been tried and tested, and (3) identify the “active ingredients” of behavior change interventions that were proven to be effective in containing epidemics of inappropriate use of medical resources.

Methods

For this systematic review, we searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, and PsychINFO from the databases’ inceptions to May 2019, without language restrictions, for behavioral intervention studies. Interventions had to be empirically evaluated with a control group that demonstrated whether the effects of the campaign extended beyond trends occurring in the absence of the intervention. Outcomes of interest were reductions in inappropriate or non-essential use of medicines and/or medical procedures for clinical conditions that do not require them. Two reviewers independently screened titles, abstracts, and full text for inclusion and extracted data on study characteristics (e.g., study design), intervention development, implementation strategies, and effect size. Data extraction sheets were based on the checklist from the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews.

Results

Forty-three studies were included. The behavior change technique taxonomy v1 (BCTTv1), which contains 93 behavioral change techniques (BCTs), was used to characterize components of the interventions reported in the included studies. Of the 93 BCTs, 15 (16%) were identified within the descriptions of the selected studies targeting healthcare consumers. Interventions consisting of education messages, recommended behavior alternatives, and a supporting environment that incentivizes or encourages the adoption of a new behavior were more likely to be successful.

Conclusions

There is a continued tendency in research reporting that mainly stresses the effectiveness of interventions rather than the process of identifying and developing key components and the parameters within which they operate. Reporting “negative results” is likely as critical as reporting “active ingredients” and positive findings for implementation science. This review calls for a standardized approach to report intervention studies.

Trial registration

PROSPERO registration number CRD42019139537

Implementation and impact of pediatric antimicrobial stewardship programs: a systematic scoping review

Background

Antibiotics are the most common medicines prescribed to children in hospitals and the community, with a high proportion of potentially inappropriate use. Antibiotic misuse increases the risk of toxicity, raises healthcare costs, and selection of resistance. The primary aim of this systematic review is to summarize the current state of evidence of the implementation and outcomes of pediatric antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) globally.

Methods

MEDLINE, Embase and Cochrane Library databases were systematically searched to identify studies reporting on ASP in children aged 0-18 years and conducted in outpatient or in-hospital settings. Three investigators independently reviewed identified articles for inclusion and extracted relevant data.

Results

Of the 41,916 studies screened, 113 were eligible for inclusion in this study. Most of the studies originated in the USA (52.2%), while a minority were conducted in Europe (24.7%) or Asia (17.7%). Seventy-four (65.5%) studies used a before-and-after design, and sixteen (14.1%) were randomized trials. The majority (81.4%) described in-hospital ASPs with half of interventions in mixed pediatric wards and ten (8.8%) in emergency departments. Only sixteen (14.1%) studies focused on the costs of ASPs. Almost all the studies (79.6%) showed a significant reduction in inappropriate prescriptions. Compliance after ASP implementation increased. Sixteen of the included studies quantified cost savings related to the intervention with most of the decreases due to lower rates of drug administration. Seven studies showed an increased susceptibility of the bacteria analysed with a decrease in extended spectrum beta-lactamase producers E. coli and K. pneumoniae; a reduction in the rate of P. aeruginosa carbapenem resistance subsequent to an observed reduction in the rate of antimicrobial days of therapy; and, in two studies set in outpatient setting, an increase in erythromycin-sensitive S. pyogenes following a reduction in the use of macrolides.

Conclusions

Pediatric ASPs have a significant impact on the reduction of targeted and empiric antibiotic use, healthcare costs, and antimicrobial resistance in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Pediatric ASPs are now widely implemented in the USA, but considerable further adaptation is required to facilitate their uptake in Europe, Asia, Latin America and Africa.

Communication interventions to promote the public's awareness of antibiotics: a systematic review

Background

Inappropriate antibiotic use is implicated in antibiotic resistance and resultant morbidity and mortality. Overuse is particularly prevalent for outpatient respiratory infections, and perceived patient expectations likely contribute. Thus, various educational programs have been implemented to educate the public.

Methods

We systematically identified public-directed interventions to promote antibiotic awareness in the United States. PubMed, Google Scholar, Embase, CINAHL, and Scopus were queried for articles published from January 1996 through January 2016. Two investigators independently assessed titles and abstracts of retrieved articles for subsequent full-text review. References of selected articles and three review articles were likewise screened for inclusion. Identified educational interventions were coded for target audience, content, distribution site, communication method, and major outcomes.

Results

Our search yielded 1,106 articles; 34 met inclusion criteria. Due to overlap in interventions studied, 29 distinct educational interventions were identified. Messages were primarily delivered in outpatient clinics (N = 24, 83%) and community sites (N = 12, 41%). The majority included clinician education. Antibiotic prescription rates were assessed for 22 interventions (76%). Patient knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs (KAB) were assessed for 10 interventions (34%). Similar rates of success between antibiotic prescription rates and patient KAB were reported (73 and 70%, respectively). Patient interventions that did not include clinician education were successful to increase KAB but were not shown to decrease antibiotic prescribing. Three interventions targeted reductions in Streptococcus pneumoniae resistance; none were successful.

Conclusions

Messaging programs varied in their designs, and many were multifaceted in their approach. These interventions can change patient perspectives regarding antibiotic use, though it is unclear if clinician education is also necessary to reduce antibiotic prescribing. Further investigations are needed to determine the relative influence of interventions focusing on patients and physicians and to determine whether these changes can influence rates of antibiotic resistance long-term.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12889-019-7258-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Antibiotic Use in Febrile Children Presenting to the Emergency Department: A Systematic Review

Introduction: While fever is the main complaint among pediatric emergency services and high antibiotic prescription are observed, only a few studies have been published addressing this subject. Therefore this systematic review aims to summarize antibiotic prescriptions in febrile children at the ED and assess its determinants. Methods: We extracted studies published from 2000 to 2017 on antibiotic use in febrile children at the ED from different databases. Author, year, and country of publishing, study design, inclusion criteria, primary outcome, age, and number of children included in the study was extracted. To compare the risk-of-bias all articles were assessed using the MINORS criteria. For the final quality assessment we additionally used the sample size and the primary outcome. Results: We included 26 studies reporting on antibiotic prescription and 28 intervention studies on the effect on antibiotic prescription. In all 54 studies antibiotic prescriptions in the ED varied from 15 to 90.5%, pending on study populations and diagnosis. Respiratory tract infections were mostly studied. Pediatric emergency physicians prescribed significantly less antibiotics then general emergency physicians. Most frequent reported interventions to reduce antibiotics are delayed antibiotic prescription in acute otitis media, viral testing and guidelines. Conclusion: Evidence on antibiotic prescriptions in children with fever presenting to the ED remains inconclusive. Delayed antibiotic prescription in acute otitis media and guidelines for fever and respiratory infections can effectively reduce antibiotic prescription in the ED. The large heterogeneity of type of studies and included populations limits strict conclusions, such a gap in knowledge on the determining factors that influence antibiotic prescription in febrile children presenting to the ED remains.

Impact of the 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine on antimicrobial prescriptions in young children: a whole population study

Background

Antimicrobial resistance is a public-health threat and antimicrobial consumption is the main contributor. The ten-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PHiD-CV10) was introduced into the Icelandic vaccination program in 2011.

The aim was to estimate the vaccine impact of PHiD-CV10 on outpatient antimicrobial prescriptions in children.

Methods

Eleven Icelandic birth-cohorts (2005–2015) were followed from birth until three years of age or to the end of the study period (December 31, 2016). Birth-cohorts were grouped as vaccine non-eligible (VNEC, 2005–2010) or vaccine eligible (VEC, 2011–2015). Data on primary care visits for respiratory infections and antimicrobial prescriptions were extracted from two national registers. Using national identification numbers, prescriptions were linked to physician visits if filled within three days of the visit. Incidence rates and incidence rate ratios between VNEC and VEC were calculated. An Andersen-Gill model was used to model the individual level data, accounting for repeated events and censoring. Vaccine impact was calculated as (1 – Hazard Ratio) × 100%.

Results

Included were 53,510 children who contributed 151,992 person-years of follow-up and filled 231,660 antimicrobial prescriptions. The incidence rate was significantly lower in the VEC compared to the VNEC, 144.5 and 157.2 prescriptions per 100 person-years respectively (IRR 0.92, 95%CI 0.91–0.93). Children in VEC were more likely to have filled zero (IRR 1.16 (95%CI 1.10–1.23) and 1–4 (IRR 1.08 95%CI 1.06–1.11) prescriptions compared to children in VNEC. The vaccine impact of PHiD-CV10 against all-cause antimicrobial prescriptions was 5.8% (95%CI 1.6–9.8%).When only considering acute otitis media-associated prescriptions, the vaccine impact was 21.8% (95%CI 11.5–30.9%).

Conclusion

The introduction of PHiD-CV10 lead to reduced antimicrobial use in children, mainly by reducing acute otitis media episodes. This intervention therefore reduces both disease burden and could slow the spread of antimicrobial resistance.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12879-018-3416-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Measuring the Effectiveness of Mass-Mediated Health Campaigns Through Meta-Analysis

A meta-analytic review was undertaken to examine the effects of mass communication campaigns on changes in behavior, knowledge, and self-efficacy in the general public. A review of the academic literature was undertaken and identified 1,638 articles from 1966 through 2012. Using strict inclusion criteria, we included 63 studies for coding and analyses. Results from these efforts indicated that campaigns produced positive effects in behavior change (r = .05, k = 61) and knowledge (r = .10, k = 26) but failed to produce significant increases in self-efficacy (r = .02, k = 14). Several moderators (e.g., health topic, the theory underlying the campaign) were examined in relation to campaign principles that are prescribed to increase campaign effects. The major findings are reviewed, and the implications for future campaign design are discussed.

Antimicrobial stewardship in outpatient settings: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

Evaluate the effect of outpatient antimicrobial stewardship programs on prescribing, patient, microbial outcomes, and costs.

DESIGN

Systematic review

METHODS

Search of MEDLINE (2000 through November 2013), Cochrane Library, and reference lists of relevant studies. We included English language studies with patient populations relevant to the United States (eg, infectious conditions, prescription services) evaluating stewardship programs in outpatient settings and reporting outcomes of interest. Data regarding study characteristics and outcomes were extracted and organized by intervention type.

RESULTS

We identified 50 studies eligible for inclusion, with most (29 of 50; 58%) reporting on respiratory tract infections, followed by multiple/unspecified infections (17 of 50; 34%). We found medium-strength evidence that stewardship programs incorporating communication skills training and laboratory testing are associated with reductions in antimicrobial use, and low-strength evidence that other stewardship interventions are associated with improved prescribing. Patient-centered outcomes, which were infrequently reported, were not adversely affected. Medication costs were generally lower with stewardship interventions, but overall program costs were rarely reported. No studies reported microbial outcomes, and data regarding outpatient settings other than primary care clinics are limited.

CONCLUSIONS

Low- to moderate-strength evidence suggests that antimicrobial stewardship programs in outpatient settings improve antimicrobial prescribing without adversely effecting patient outcomes. Effectiveness depends on program type. Most studies were not designed to measure patient or resistance outcomes. Data regarding sustainability and scalability of interventions are limited.

Strategic measures for the control of surging antimicrobial resistance in Hong Kong and mainland of China

Antimicrobial-resistant bacteria are either highly prevalent or increasing rapidly in Hong Kong and China. Treatment options for these bacteria are generally limited, less effective and more expensive. The emergence and dynamics of antimicrobial resistance genes in bacteria circulating between animals, the environment and humans are not entirely known. Nonetheless, selective pressure by antibiotics on the microbiomes of animal and human, and their associated environments (especially farms and healthcare institutions), sewage systems and soil are likely to confer survival advantages upon bacteria with antimicrobial-resistance genes, which may be further disseminated through plasmids or transposons with integrons. Therefore, antibiotic use must be tightly regulated to eliminate such selective pressure, including the illegalization of antibiotics as growth promoters in animal feed and regulation of antibiotic use in veterinary practice and human medicine. Heightened awareness of infection control measures to reduce the risk of acquiring resistant bacteria is essential, especially during antimicrobial use or institutionalization in healthcare facilities. The transmission cycle must be interrupted by proper hand hygiene, environmental cleaning, avoidance of undercooked or raw food and compliance with infection control measures by healthcare workers, visitors and patients, especially during treatment with antibiotics. In addition to these routine measures, proactive microbiological screening of hospitalized patients with risk factors for carrying resistant bacteria, including history of travel to endemic countries, transfer from other hospitals, and prolonged hospitalization; directly observed hand hygiene before oral intake of drugs, food and drinks; and targeted disinfection of high-touch or mutual-touch items, such as bed rails and bed curtains, are important. Transparency of surveillance data from each institute for public scrutiny provides an incentive for controlling antimicrobial resistance in healthcare settings at an administrative level.

Educational interventions to improve prescription and dispensing of antibiotics: a systematic review

Background

Excessive and inappropriate antibiotic use contributes to growing antibiotic resistance, an important public-health problem. Strategies must be developed to improve antibiotic-prescribing. Our purpose is to review of educational programs aimed at improving antibiotic-prescribing by physicians and/or antibiotic-dispensing by pharmacists, in both primary-care and hospital settings.

Methods

We conducted a critical systematic search and review of the relevant literature on educational programs aimed at improving antibiotic prescribing and dispensing practice in primary-care and hospital settings, published in January 2001 through December 2011.

Results

We identified 78 studies for analysis, 47 in primary-care and 31 in hospital settings. The studies differed widely in design but mostly reported positive results. Outcomes measured in the reviewed studies were adherence to guidelines, total of antibiotics prescribed, or both, attitudes and behavior related to antibiotic prescribing and quality of pharmacy practice related to antibiotics. Twenty-nine studies (62%) in primary care and twenty-four (78%) in hospital setting reported positive results for all measured outcomes; fourteen studies (30%) in primary care and six (20%) in hospital setting reported positive results for some outcomes and results that were not statistically influenced by the intervention for others; only four studies in primary care and one study in hospital setting failed to report significant post-intervention improvements for all outcomes. Improvement in adherence to guidelines and decrease of total of antibiotics prescribed, after educational interventions, were observed, respectively, in 46% and 41% of all the reviewed studies. Changes in behaviour related to antibiotic-prescribing and improvement in quality of pharmacy practice was observed, respectively, in four studies and one study respectively.

Conclusion

The results show that antibiotic use could be improved by educational interventions, being mostly used multifaceted interventions.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2458-14-1276) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Long-term effects of an educational seminar on antibiotic prescribing by GPs: a randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

High levels of outpatient antibiotic use remain observed in many European countries. Several studies have shown a strong relationship between antibiotic use and bacterial resistance.

AIM

To assess the long-term effect of a standardised educational seminar on antibiotic prescriptions by GPs.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Randomised controlled trial of 171 GPs (of 203 initially randomised) in France.

METHOD

GPs in the control group (n = 99) received no antibiotic prescription recommendation. Intervention group GPs (n = 72) attended an interactive seminar presenting evidence-based guidelines on antibiotic prescription for respiratory infections. The proportion of prescriptions containing an antibiotic in each group and related costs were compared to the baseline up to 30 months following the intervention. Data were obtained from the National Health Insurance System database.

RESULTS

In the intervention group, 4-6 months after the intervention, there was a significant decrease in the proportion of prescriptions containing an antibiotic from 15.2 ± 5.4% to 12.3 ± 5.8% (-2.8% [95% CI = -3.8 to -1.9], P<0.001). By contrast, an increase was observed in controls from 15.3 ± 6.0 to 16.4 ± 6.7% (+1.1% [95% CI = +0.4 to +1.8], P<0.01), resulting in a between-group difference of 3.93% ([95% CI = 2.75 to 5.11], P<0.001). The between-group difference was maintained 30 months after intervention (1.99% [95% CI = 0.56 to 3.42], P<0.01). Persistence of the intervention effect over the entire study period was confirmed in a hierarchical multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSION

This randomised trial shows that a standardised and interactive educational seminar results in a long-term reduction in antibiotic prescribing and could justify a large-scale implementation of this intervention.

Reducing antibiotic prescribing for children with respiratory tract infections in primary care: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) in children are common and often result in antibiotic prescription despite their typically self-limiting course.

AIM

To assess the effectiveness of primary care based interventions to reduce antibiotic prescribing for children with RTIs.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Systematic review.

METHOD

MEDLINE(®), Embase, CINAHL(®), PsycINFO, and the Cochrane library were searched for randomised, cluster randomised, and non-randomised studies testing educational and/or behavioural interventions to change antibiotic prescribing for children (<18 years) with RTIs. Main outcomes included change in proportion of total antibiotic prescribing or change in 'appropriate' prescribing for RTIs. Narrative analysis of included studies was used to identify components of effective interventions.

RESULTS

Of 6301 references identified through database searching, 17 studies were included. Interventions that combined parent education with clinician behaviour change decreased antibiotic prescribing rates by between 6-21%; structuring the parent-clinician interaction during the consultation may further increase the effectiveness of these interventions. Automatic computerised prescribing prompts increased prescribing appropriateness, while passive information, in the form of waiting room educational materials, yielded no benefit.

CONCLUSION

Conflicting evidence from the included studies found that interventions directed towards parents and/or clinicians can reduce rates of antibiotic prescribing. The most effective interventions target both parents and clinicians during consultations, provide automatic prescribing prompts, and promote clinician leadership in the intervention design.

Knowledge, attitude and practice of antibiotics: a questionnaire study among 2500 Chinese students

BACKGROUND

Recently, many scientists including bacteriologists have begun to focus on social aspects of antibiotic management especially the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) among the general population regarding antibiotic use. However, relatively few works have published on the relationship between KAP and medical education. In this study, we analyze the present status of Chinese medical (MS)- and non-medical (NS) students' KAP on the use of antibiotics, and examine the influence of Chinese medical curriculum on the appropriate usage of antibiotics among medical students.

METHODS

In this study, 2500 students from 3 universities (including one medical university) in Northeastern China participate in the questionnaire survey on students' knowledge, attitude and practice toward antibiotic usage. Wilcoxon rank sum test and Chi square test were used to analyze questionnaire-related discrete and categorical variables respectively, in order to assess the impact of the medical curriculum on students' KAP towards antibiotics.

RESULTS

2088 (83.5%) respondents (MS-1236 and NS-852) were considered valid for analysis. The level of knowledge of MS on the proper use of antibiotics was significantly higher than that of NS (p < 0.0001). However, based on their responses on actual practice, MS were found to rely on antibiotics more than NS (p < 0.0001). Moreover, the knowledge and attitude of MS towards antibiotic use improved with the increase in grade with discriminate use of antibiotics concurrently escalating during the same period.

CONCLUSIONS

This study indicates that Chinese medical curriculum significantly improves students' knowledge on antibiotics and raises their attention on antibiotic resistance that may result from indiscriminate use of antibiotics. The study also shows an excessive use of antibiotics especially among the more senior medical students, signifying a deficiency of antibiotics usage instruction in their curriculum. This might explain why there are frequent abuses of antibiotics in both hospital and community settings from a certain angle.

Perfil de prescritores e prescrição de antimicrobianos nas infecções das vias aéreas superiores em Pediatria

OBJETIVO: Traçar um perfil dos médicos que atendem crianças nos sistemas público (Sistema Único de Saúde) e privado de saúde e verificar como são prescritos antimicrobianos nas infecções das vias aéreas superiores. MÉTODOS: Médicos de algumas cidades do interior do Estado de São Paulo receberam via correio ou nas Unidades Básicas de Saúde uma carta explicativa sobre a pesquisa e o questionário, com perguntas sobre: tempo de graduação, residência médica, carga horária e local de trabalho, forma de atualização, fatores que consideram ao prescrever antimicrobianos e casos clínicos sobre as infecções das vias aéreas superiores. Os dados pessoais dos médicos foram relacionados com as respostas aos casos clínicos. Para análise estatística, foram aplicados os testes Z e de Tukey-Kramer, sendo p<0,05 significante. RESULTADOS: A amostra foi composta por 170 prescritores: 86,5% possuíam residência em Pediatria, 75% trabalhavam no Sistema Único de Saúde e 71% tinham carga horária superior a 40 horas semanais. Os formados há menos de dez anos valorizaram mais os laboratórios farmacêuticos como forma de atualização do que os graduados há mais de 30 anos; 33% dos médicos do Sistema Único de Saúde atendem mais de cinco pacientes por hora. A média de acerto nos casos clínicos foi de 87%. O uso das entidades médicas como forma de atualização foi associado a respostas corretas, enquanto o uso de materiais de laboratório estava ligado a respostas incorretas (p<0,05). Houve clara tendência de diminuição dos acertos conforme o número de pacientes atendidos por hora aumentava. CONCLUSÕES: Educação adequada sobre o tema e melhora nas condições de trabalho podem ser eficientes para reduzir a prescrição de antibióticos para infecções das vias aéreas superiores em crianças.

Trends in antibiotic use in Massachusetts children, 2000-2009

OBJECTIVE

Antibiotic use rates have declined dramatically since the 1990s. We aimed to determine if, when, and at what level the decline in antibiotic-dispensing rates ended and which diagnoses contributed to the trends.

METHODS

Antibiotic dispensings and diagnoses were obtained from 2 health insurers for 3- to <72-month-olds in 16 Massachusetts communities from 2000 to 2009. Population-based antibiotic-dispensing rates per person-year (p-y) were determined according to year (September-August) for 3 age groups. Fit statistics were used to identify the most likely year for a change in trend. Rates for the first and last years were compared according to antibiotic category and associated diagnosis.

RESULTS

From 2000-2001 to 2008-2009, the antibiotic-dispensing rate for 3- to <24-month-olds decreased 24% (2.3-1.8 antibiotic dispensings per p-y); for 24- to <48-month-olds, it decreased 18% (1.6-1.3 antibiotic dispensings per p-y); and for 48- to <72-month-olds, it decreased 20% (1.4-1.1 antibiotic dispensings per p-y). For 3- to <48-month-olds, rates declined until 2004-2005 and remained stable thereafter; the downward trend for 48- to <72-month-olds ended earlier in 2001-2002. Among 3- to <24-month-olds, first-line penicillin use declined 26%. For otitis media, the dispensing rate decreased 14% and the diagnosis rate declined 9%, whereas the treatment fraction was stable at 63%.

CONCLUSIONS

The downward trend in antibiotic dispensings to young children in these communities ended by 2004-2005. This trend was driven by a declining otitis media diagnosis rate. Continued monitoring of population-based dispensing rates will support efforts to avoid returning to previous levels of antibiotic overuse.

National cultural dimensions as drivers of inappropriate ambulatory care consumption of antibiotics in Europe and their relevance to awareness campaigns

OBJECTIVES

European countries exhibit significant geographical differences in antibiotic consumption per capita within ambulatory care, especially inappropriate use for colds/flu/sore throat (CFSt). One potential explanation could be national cultural differences resulting in varying perceptions and, therefore, influences.

METHODS

Publicly available data on the proportions of respondents in the 2009 Eurobarometer survey who had taken antibiotics for CFSt were tested for association against country scores derived from the Hofstede cultural dimension model. They were also correlated with knowledge of respondents about various key antibiotic facts.

RESULTS

The Eurobarometer dataset incorporated 26,259 responses from all European Union (EU) countries except Cyprus. Using multiple regression, uncertainty avoidance and masculinity were identified as the two national cultural dimensions significantly associated with the use of antibiotics for CFSt (R-adjusted = 0.45; P<0.001). After controlling for these cultural influences, individuals who stated they had received information about antibiotics in the previous year were also more likely to correctly answer antibiotic-related questions (r=0.721; P<0.001). The use of antibiotics for CFSt was found to be inversely correlated with respondents' knowledge that antibiotics are ineffective against viruses (r=-0.724; P<0.001) and that misuse will render them ineffective in the longer term (r=-0.775; P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

National cultural dimensions, especially uncertainty avoidance and masculinity, appear to have a very significant impact on inappropriate antibiotic use within European countries. Nevertheless, their influence can be reduced by making EU citizens more knowledgeable about antibiotics through appropriate messages and targeted campaigns.

Infectious disease management in primary care: perceptions of GPs

Background

It is important to keep the level of antibiotic prescribing low to contain the development of resistant bacteria. This study was conducted to reveal new knowledge about how GPs think in relation to the prescribing of antibiotics - knowledge that could be used in efforts toward rational treatment of infectious diseases in primary care. The aim was to explore and describe the variations in GPs' perceptions of infectious disease management, with special reference to antibiotic prescribing.

Methods

Twenty GPs working at primary care centres in a county in south-west Sweden were purposively selected based on the strategy of including GPs with different kinds of experience. The GPs were interviewed and perceptions among GPs were analysed by a phenomenographic approach.

Results

Five qualitatively different perceptions of infectious disease management were identified. They were: (A) the GP must help the patient to achieve health and well-being; (B) the management must meet the GP's perceived personal, professional and organisational demands; (C) restrictive antibiotic prescribing is time-consuming; (D) restrictive antibiotic prescribing can protect the effectiveness of antibiotics; and (E) patients benefit personally from restrictive antibiotic prescribing.

Conclusions

Restrictive antibiotic prescribing was considered important in two perceptions, was not an issue as such in two others, and was considered in one perception although the actual prescribing was greatly influenced by the interaction between patient and GP. Accordingly, to encourage restrictive antibiotic prescribing several aspects must be addressed. Furthermore, different GPs need various kinds of support. Infectious disease management in primary care is complex and time-consuming, which must be acknowledged in healthcare organisation and planning.

Factors influencing primary care physicians to prescribe antibiotics in Delhi India

BACKGROUND

it is necessary to understand physician's prescribing behaviour in order to develop interventions that will effectively improve the use of antibiotics.

OBJECTIVE

to explore the factors that influence primary care physicians to prescribe antibiotics and to investigate possible interventions.

METHODS

focus group discussions (FGDs) were used to explore the perspectives of primary care physicians in the public and private sectors from five municipal wards (residential localities) of Delhi from where data on antibiotic use and resistance were collected. FGDs (n = 3 with 36 prescribers) were analysed through grounded theory.

RESULTS

three broad themes identified were as follows: behavioural characteristics of doctors and patients; laxity in regulation of prescribing and dispensing antibiotics and intervention strategies to decrease misuse of, and resistance to, antibiotics. Important factors identified for antibiotic prescriptions by doctors were diagnostic uncertainty, perceived demand and expectation from the patients, practice sustainability and financial considerations, influence from medical representatives and inadequate knowledge. For public sector doctors, besides the above, overstocked and near-expiry drugs and lack of time were the factors that promoted antibiotic overuse. Doctors also identified certain patient behaviour characteristics and laxity in regulation for prescribing and dispensing of antibiotics as aggravating the problem of antibiotic misuse. Interventions like Continuing Medical Educations for doctors, awareness raising of patients, shared decision making and stricter rules and regulations were suggested to promote rational use of antibiotics in the community.

CONCLUSION

exploration of doctors' antibiotic use practices and possible interventions will be helpful in carrying out interventions to promote appropriate use of antibiotics in the community.

Impact of a computerized template on antibiotic prescribing for acute respiratory infections in children and adolescents

BACKGROUND

Computerized decision support (CDS) can potentially improve patient safety and guideline adherence. The authors developed an acute respiratory illness interactive template (ARI-IT) within an electronic health record (EHR) to manage pediatric ARIs and assessed the impact on antibiotic prescribing.

METHODS

They randomized 12 practices either to receive the ARI-IT or to the control group. Antibiotic rates among all eligible ARI diagnoses were compared among control and intervention ARI visits, controlling for clustering by clinician.

RESULTS

There was no difference in total antibiotic prescriptions between control and intervention clinics. Use of the ARI-IT significantly reduced antibiotic prescriptions (31.7% vs 39.9%; P = .02) and use of macrolides (6.2% vs 9.5%; P = .02) among visits compared with those eligible visits where it was not used.

CONCLUSION

Use of the CDS reduced antibiotic prescribing and macrolide prescriptions among children with an ARI. Nonetheless, the low overall use resulted in an ineffective intervention.