Public hospital pharmacists’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices for antibiotic stewardship implementation in Limpopo Province, South Africa
Abstract Background Hospital pharmacists are important in antibiotic stewardship programs (ASP), a global strategy to combat antibiotic resistance (ABR). South African public hospitals have limited ASP implementation. This study describes Limpopo Provincial Hospital pharmacists’ knowledge, attitudes...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Journal of Pharmaceutical Health Care and Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40780-024-00331-3 |
| _version_ | 1797273741395230720 |
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| author | Tiyani Comfort Mthombeni Johanita Riétte Burger Martha Susanna Lubbe Marlene Julyan |
| author_facet | Tiyani Comfort Mthombeni Johanita Riétte Burger Martha Susanna Lubbe Marlene Julyan |
| author_sort | Tiyani Comfort Mthombeni |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Hospital pharmacists are important in antibiotic stewardship programs (ASP), a global strategy to combat antibiotic resistance (ABR). South African public hospitals have limited ASP implementation. This study describes Limpopo Provincial Hospital pharmacists’ knowledge, attitudes, and practice toward ASP implementation. Method A questionnaire to explore pharmacists’ knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding ASP implementation comprised 43 questions hosted online. A link was sent by invitation e-mail to eligible respondents in November 2021. Five questions on respondents’ demographics, 15 questions on ASP knowledge, 10 Likert scale questions on attitude, and 13 on ASP practices were included. Mean (standard deviation (SD)) knowledge and attitude scores and a median (interquartile range (IQR)) practice score was calculated. Associations between categorical variables were assessed using chi-square/Fisher’s exact analysis (p < 0.05), with Cramér’s V as effect size. Results The survey yielded 35 responses (13.1%). Twenty (57.1%) respondents were female. Seventeen (48.6%) respondents were between the ages of 31 and 40 years. The mean knowledge score of respondents was 9.8 (2.6) (N = 34), with knowledge gaps on One Health and socioeconomic determinates of ABR. Ten (29.6%) respondents thought One Health discouraged multi-sector collaboration, and nineteen (55.9%) respondents thought ASP was the only strategic response to ABR. Sixteen (47.1%) respondents did not know that poor access to clean water accelerates ABR and seventeen (50.0%) did not know that poverty could be a determinant for antibiotic use. The mean respondent attitude score was 8.0 (1.7) (N = 28). Twenty-seven (96.4%) respondents agreed that ASP was necessary and agreed to participate in ASP respectively. All 28 (100.0%) respondents agreed to lead an ASP. The median (IQR) respondents’ practice score was − 2.0 (IQR: -6.0–5.8) (N = 16). Respondents were inconsistently (never, sometimes, every time) participating in multi-disciplinary forums (6/16, 37.5%) and expressed a desire for training (11/13, 84.6%) on ASP through in-service (7/27, 25.9%). Respondents thought ASP training should include medical officers (12/29, 41.4%) and nurses (9/29, 31.8%). Knowledge score was associated with gender (p = 0.048; V = 0.416) and attitude score (p = 0.013; V = 0.556). Conclusion Our study found pharmacists had good knowledge and a positive attitude toward ASP implementation but poor ASP practices. A multi-disciplinary in-service training could address identified knowledge and practice gaps. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T14:48:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-511574a6fbcf4b75b28c99aa190e6716 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2055-0294 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T14:48:32Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Pharmaceutical Health Care and Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-511574a6fbcf4b75b28c99aa190e67162024-03-05T19:48:32ZengBMCJournal of Pharmaceutical Health Care and Sciences2055-02942024-02-0110111110.1186/s40780-024-00331-3Public hospital pharmacists’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices for antibiotic stewardship implementation in Limpopo Province, South AfricaTiyani Comfort Mthombeni0Johanita Riétte Burger1Martha Susanna Lubbe2Marlene Julyan3Medicine Usage in South Africa (MUSA), Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West UniversityMedicine Usage in South Africa (MUSA), Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West UniversityMedicine Usage in South Africa (MUSA), Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West UniversityMedicine Usage in South Africa (MUSA), Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West UniversityAbstract Background Hospital pharmacists are important in antibiotic stewardship programs (ASP), a global strategy to combat antibiotic resistance (ABR). South African public hospitals have limited ASP implementation. This study describes Limpopo Provincial Hospital pharmacists’ knowledge, attitudes, and practice toward ASP implementation. Method A questionnaire to explore pharmacists’ knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding ASP implementation comprised 43 questions hosted online. A link was sent by invitation e-mail to eligible respondents in November 2021. Five questions on respondents’ demographics, 15 questions on ASP knowledge, 10 Likert scale questions on attitude, and 13 on ASP practices were included. Mean (standard deviation (SD)) knowledge and attitude scores and a median (interquartile range (IQR)) practice score was calculated. Associations between categorical variables were assessed using chi-square/Fisher’s exact analysis (p < 0.05), with Cramér’s V as effect size. Results The survey yielded 35 responses (13.1%). Twenty (57.1%) respondents were female. Seventeen (48.6%) respondents were between the ages of 31 and 40 years. The mean knowledge score of respondents was 9.8 (2.6) (N = 34), with knowledge gaps on One Health and socioeconomic determinates of ABR. Ten (29.6%) respondents thought One Health discouraged multi-sector collaboration, and nineteen (55.9%) respondents thought ASP was the only strategic response to ABR. Sixteen (47.1%) respondents did not know that poor access to clean water accelerates ABR and seventeen (50.0%) did not know that poverty could be a determinant for antibiotic use. The mean respondent attitude score was 8.0 (1.7) (N = 28). Twenty-seven (96.4%) respondents agreed that ASP was necessary and agreed to participate in ASP respectively. All 28 (100.0%) respondents agreed to lead an ASP. The median (IQR) respondents’ practice score was − 2.0 (IQR: -6.0–5.8) (N = 16). Respondents were inconsistently (never, sometimes, every time) participating in multi-disciplinary forums (6/16, 37.5%) and expressed a desire for training (11/13, 84.6%) on ASP through in-service (7/27, 25.9%). Respondents thought ASP training should include medical officers (12/29, 41.4%) and nurses (9/29, 31.8%). Knowledge score was associated with gender (p = 0.048; V = 0.416) and attitude score (p = 0.013; V = 0.556). Conclusion Our study found pharmacists had good knowledge and a positive attitude toward ASP implementation but poor ASP practices. A multi-disciplinary in-service training could address identified knowledge and practice gaps.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40780-024-00331-3Antibiotic stewardship programKnowledgeAttitudesPractices (KAP)Hospital pharmacistsLimpopo Province |
| spellingShingle | Tiyani Comfort Mthombeni Johanita Riétte Burger Martha Susanna Lubbe Marlene Julyan Public hospital pharmacists’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices for antibiotic stewardship implementation in Limpopo Province, South Africa Journal of Pharmaceutical Health Care and Sciences Antibiotic stewardship program Knowledge Attitudes Practices (KAP) Hospital pharmacists Limpopo Province |
| title | Public hospital pharmacists’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices for antibiotic stewardship implementation in Limpopo Province, South Africa |
| title_full | Public hospital pharmacists’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices for antibiotic stewardship implementation in Limpopo Province, South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Public hospital pharmacists’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices for antibiotic stewardship implementation in Limpopo Province, South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Public hospital pharmacists’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices for antibiotic stewardship implementation in Limpopo Province, South Africa |
| title_short | Public hospital pharmacists’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices for antibiotic stewardship implementation in Limpopo Province, South Africa |
| title_sort | public hospital pharmacists knowledge attitudes and practices for antibiotic stewardship implementation in limpopo province south africa |
| topic | Antibiotic stewardship program Knowledge Attitudes Practices (KAP) Hospital pharmacists Limpopo Province |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40780-024-00331-3 |
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