Antimicrobial stewardship: Prescribing across the primary care health professions
Abstract We examined the patterns of antibiotic prescribing by medical and non‐medical prescribers (dentists, nurse practitioners, and midwives) in Australia. We explored trends in the dispensed use of antibiotics (scripts and defined daily dose [DDD] per 1000 population/day) by Australian prescribe...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Pharmacology Research & Perspectives |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/prp2.1106 |
| _version_ | 1797800929485914112 |
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| author | Samantha A. Hollingworth Treasure McGuire Mieke Van Driel Nelufa Begum Pauline J. Ford Glenda Hawley Laurence J. Walsh |
| author_facet | Samantha A. Hollingworth Treasure McGuire Mieke Van Driel Nelufa Begum Pauline J. Ford Glenda Hawley Laurence J. Walsh |
| author_sort | Samantha A. Hollingworth |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract We examined the patterns of antibiotic prescribing by medical and non‐medical prescribers (dentists, nurse practitioners, and midwives) in Australia. We explored trends in the dispensed use of antibiotics (scripts and defined daily dose [DDD] per 1000 population/day) by Australian prescribers over the 12‐year period, 2005–2016. We obtained data on dispensed prescriptions of antibiotics from registered health professionals subsidized on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). There were 216.2 million medical and 7.1 million non‐medical dispensed prescriptions for antibiotics over 12 years. The top four antibiotics for medical prescribers were doxycycline; amoxicillin, amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid, and cefalexin, constituting 80% of top 10 use in 2005 and 2016; the top three for non‐medical were amoxicillin, amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid and metronidazole (84% of top 10 use in 2016). The proportional increase in antibiotic use was higher for non‐medical than medical prescribers. While medical prescribers preferentially prescribed broad‐spectrum and non‐medical prescribers moderate‐spectrum antibiotics, there was a large increase in the use of broad‐spectrum antibiotics over time by all prescribers. One in four medical prescriptions were repeats. Overprescribing of broad‐spectrum antibiotics conflicts with national antimicrobial stewardship initiatives and guidelines. The proportional higher increase in antibiotic use by non‐medical prescribers is a concern. To reduce inappropriate use of antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance, educational strategies targeted at all medical and non‐medical prescribers are needed to align prescribing with current best practice within the scope of practice of respective prescribers. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T04:42:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a46e073584754336afd052bb74c95a36 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2052-1707 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T04:42:34Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pharmacology Research & Perspectives |
| spelling | doaj.art-a46e073584754336afd052bb74c95a362023-06-19T04:55:55ZengWileyPharmacology Research & Perspectives2052-17072023-06-01113n/an/a10.1002/prp2.1106Antimicrobial stewardship: Prescribing across the primary care health professionsSamantha A. Hollingworth0Treasure McGuire1Mieke Van Driel2Nelufa Begum3Pauline J. Ford4Glenda Hawley5Laurence J. Walsh6School of Pharmacy The University of Queensland Woolloongabba Queensland AustraliaSchool of Pharmacy The University of Queensland Woolloongabba Queensland AustraliaPrimary Care & General Practice, Primary Care Clinical Unit, Faculty of Medicine The University of Queensland Herston Queensland AustraliaChild Health Research Centre The University of Queensland South Brisbane Queensland AustraliaSchool of Dentistry The University of Queensland Herston Queensland AustraliaSchool of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work The University of Queensland St Lucia Queensland AustraliaSchool of Dentistry The University of Queensland Herston Queensland AustraliaAbstract We examined the patterns of antibiotic prescribing by medical and non‐medical prescribers (dentists, nurse practitioners, and midwives) in Australia. We explored trends in the dispensed use of antibiotics (scripts and defined daily dose [DDD] per 1000 population/day) by Australian prescribers over the 12‐year period, 2005–2016. We obtained data on dispensed prescriptions of antibiotics from registered health professionals subsidized on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). There were 216.2 million medical and 7.1 million non‐medical dispensed prescriptions for antibiotics over 12 years. The top four antibiotics for medical prescribers were doxycycline; amoxicillin, amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid, and cefalexin, constituting 80% of top 10 use in 2005 and 2016; the top three for non‐medical were amoxicillin, amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid and metronidazole (84% of top 10 use in 2016). The proportional increase in antibiotic use was higher for non‐medical than medical prescribers. While medical prescribers preferentially prescribed broad‐spectrum and non‐medical prescribers moderate‐spectrum antibiotics, there was a large increase in the use of broad‐spectrum antibiotics over time by all prescribers. One in four medical prescriptions were repeats. Overprescribing of broad‐spectrum antibiotics conflicts with national antimicrobial stewardship initiatives and guidelines. The proportional higher increase in antibiotic use by non‐medical prescribers is a concern. To reduce inappropriate use of antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance, educational strategies targeted at all medical and non‐medical prescribers are needed to align prescribing with current best practice within the scope of practice of respective prescribers.https://doi.org/10.1002/prp2.1106anti‐infective agentsdentistrymicrobialmidwiferynursingprescribing |
| spellingShingle | Samantha A. Hollingworth Treasure McGuire Mieke Van Driel Nelufa Begum Pauline J. Ford Glenda Hawley Laurence J. Walsh Antimicrobial stewardship: Prescribing across the primary care health professions Pharmacology Research & Perspectives anti‐infective agents dentistry microbial midwifery nursing prescribing |
| title | Antimicrobial stewardship: Prescribing across the primary care health professions |
| title_full | Antimicrobial stewardship: Prescribing across the primary care health professions |
| title_fullStr | Antimicrobial stewardship: Prescribing across the primary care health professions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Antimicrobial stewardship: Prescribing across the primary care health professions |
| title_short | Antimicrobial stewardship: Prescribing across the primary care health professions |
| title_sort | antimicrobial stewardship prescribing across the primary care health professions |
| topic | anti‐infective agents dentistry microbial midwifery nursing prescribing |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/prp2.1106 |
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