An Evaluation of Antibiotic Prescribing Practices in a Rural Refugee Settlement District in Uganda
Ensuring access to effective antibiotics and rational prescribing of antibiotics are critical in reducing antibiotic resistance. In this study, we evaluated antibiotic prescribing practices in a rural district in Uganda. It was a cross-sectional study that involved a retrospective review of 500 outp...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-02-01
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| Series: | Antibiotics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/10/2/172 |
| _version_ | 1827601590359425024 |
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| author | Matua Bonniface Winnie Nambatya Kalidi Rajab |
| author_facet | Matua Bonniface Winnie Nambatya Kalidi Rajab |
| author_sort | Matua Bonniface |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ensuring access to effective antibiotics and rational prescribing of antibiotics are critical in reducing antibiotic resistance. In this study, we evaluated antibiotic prescribing practices in a rural district in Uganda. It was a cross-sectional study that involved a retrospective review of 500 outpatient prescriptions from five health facilities. The prescriptions were systematically sampled. World Health Organization core medicine use prescribing and facility indicators were used. Percentage of encounters with one or more antibiotics prescribed was 23% (10,402/45,160). The mean number of antibiotics per prescription was 1.3 (669/500). About 27% (133/500) of the diagnoses and 42% (155/367) of the prescriptions were noncompliant with the national treatment guidelines. Prescribing antibiotics for nonbacterial infections such as malaria 32% (50/156) and noninfectious conditions such as dysmenorrhea and lumbago 15% (23/156) and nonspecific diagnosis such as respiratory tract infection 40% (59/133) were considered noncompliant with the guidelines. On average, 68% (51/75) of the antibiotics were available on the day of the visit. Inappropriate prescribing practices included excessive use of antibiotics and failure to diagnose and prescribe in compliance with treatment guidelines. There is a need to strengthen antibiotic use in the health facilities through setting up stewardship programs and interventions to promote adherence to national treatment guidelines. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:59:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-09a2f44c533a405bbd80aa62977e1fa9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-6382 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:59:41Z |
| publishDate | 2021-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Antibiotics |
| spelling | doaj.art-09a2f44c533a405bbd80aa62977e1fa92023-12-03T13:00:57ZengMDPI AGAntibiotics2079-63822021-02-0110217210.3390/antibiotics10020172An Evaluation of Antibiotic Prescribing Practices in a Rural Refugee Settlement District in UgandaMatua Bonniface0Winnie Nambatya1Kalidi Rajab2Department of Health, Yumbe District Local Government, 60811 Yumbe, UgandaDepartment of Pharmacy, Makerere University, University Rd, 10218 Kampala, UgandaEast African Community Regional Center of Excellence for Vaccines, Immunizations and Health Supply Chain, Kicukiro Campus, School of Public Health, University of Rwanda, Kigali, RwandaEnsuring access to effective antibiotics and rational prescribing of antibiotics are critical in reducing antibiotic resistance. In this study, we evaluated antibiotic prescribing practices in a rural district in Uganda. It was a cross-sectional study that involved a retrospective review of 500 outpatient prescriptions from five health facilities. The prescriptions were systematically sampled. World Health Organization core medicine use prescribing and facility indicators were used. Percentage of encounters with one or more antibiotics prescribed was 23% (10,402/45,160). The mean number of antibiotics per prescription was 1.3 (669/500). About 27% (133/500) of the diagnoses and 42% (155/367) of the prescriptions were noncompliant with the national treatment guidelines. Prescribing antibiotics for nonbacterial infections such as malaria 32% (50/156) and noninfectious conditions such as dysmenorrhea and lumbago 15% (23/156) and nonspecific diagnosis such as respiratory tract infection 40% (59/133) were considered noncompliant with the guidelines. On average, 68% (51/75) of the antibiotics were available on the day of the visit. Inappropriate prescribing practices included excessive use of antibiotics and failure to diagnose and prescribe in compliance with treatment guidelines. There is a need to strengthen antibiotic use in the health facilities through setting up stewardship programs and interventions to promote adherence to national treatment guidelines.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/10/2/172antibioticsprescribing practicesavailability |
| spellingShingle | Matua Bonniface Winnie Nambatya Kalidi Rajab An Evaluation of Antibiotic Prescribing Practices in a Rural Refugee Settlement District in Uganda Antibiotics antibiotics prescribing practices availability |
| title | An Evaluation of Antibiotic Prescribing Practices in a Rural Refugee Settlement District in Uganda |
| title_full | An Evaluation of Antibiotic Prescribing Practices in a Rural Refugee Settlement District in Uganda |
| title_fullStr | An Evaluation of Antibiotic Prescribing Practices in a Rural Refugee Settlement District in Uganda |
| title_full_unstemmed | An Evaluation of Antibiotic Prescribing Practices in a Rural Refugee Settlement District in Uganda |
| title_short | An Evaluation of Antibiotic Prescribing Practices in a Rural Refugee Settlement District in Uganda |
| title_sort | evaluation of antibiotic prescribing practices in a rural refugee settlement district in uganda |
| topic | antibiotics prescribing practices availability |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/10/2/172 |
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