Implementation of the WHO Approved “Tailoring Antimicrobial Resistance Programs (TAP)” Reduces Patients’ Request for Antibiotics
The misuse of antibiotics is a worldwide public health concern. Behavioral Intervention programs that aim to reduce patients’ own request for antibiotics during their visit to primary care clinics is an attractive strategy to combat this problem. We tested the effectiveness of a behavioral modificat...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-08-01
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| Series: | Antibiotics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/9/8/507 |
| _version_ | 1797558611377913856 |
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| author | Nasser M. Kaplan Yousef S. Khader Mahmoud A. Alfaqih Rami Saadeh Lora Al Sawalha |
| author_facet | Nasser M. Kaplan Yousef S. Khader Mahmoud A. Alfaqih Rami Saadeh Lora Al Sawalha |
| author_sort | Nasser M. Kaplan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The misuse of antibiotics is a worldwide public health concern. Behavioral Intervention programs that aim to reduce patients’ own request for antibiotics during their visit to primary care clinics is an attractive strategy to combat this problem. We tested the effectiveness of a behavioral modification method known as the Tailoring Antimicrobial resistance Programs (TAP) in reducing the request for antibiotics by patients visiting primary care clinics for mild upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs). A stratified cluster randomized design with two groups pre-post, comparing intervention with the control, was conducted in six health centers. TAP was implemented for eight weeks. Request for antibiotics was assessed before (period 1) and after introducing TAP (period 2). The percentage of patients or their escorts who requested antibiotics in period 1 was 59.7% in the control group and 60.2% in the intervention group. The percentage of patients who requested antibiotics did not significantly change between period 1 and 2 in the control group, who continued to receive the standard of care. The above percentage significantly decreased in the intervention group from 60.2% to 38.5% (<i>p</i> < 0.05). We conclude that behavioral change programs including TAP are a viable alternative strategy to address antibiotic misuse in Jordan. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T17:32:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c81bdb2e13684062952da5885069e2b0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-6382 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T17:32:58Z |
| publishDate | 2020-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Antibiotics |
| spelling | doaj.art-c81bdb2e13684062952da5885069e2b02023-11-20T09:57:23ZengMDPI AGAntibiotics2079-63822020-08-019850710.3390/antibiotics9080507Implementation of the WHO Approved “Tailoring Antimicrobial Resistance Programs (TAP)” Reduces Patients’ Request for AntibioticsNasser M. Kaplan0Yousef S. Khader1Mahmoud A. Alfaqih2Rami Saadeh3Lora Al Sawalha4Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, 22110 Irbid, JordanDepartment of Community Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, 22110 Irbid, JordanDepartment of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, 22110 Irbid, JordanDepartment of Community Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, 22110 Irbid, JordanAnti-Microbial-Resistance Officer, World Health Organization, Jordan Country Office, 11181 Amman, JordanThe misuse of antibiotics is a worldwide public health concern. Behavioral Intervention programs that aim to reduce patients’ own request for antibiotics during their visit to primary care clinics is an attractive strategy to combat this problem. We tested the effectiveness of a behavioral modification method known as the Tailoring Antimicrobial resistance Programs (TAP) in reducing the request for antibiotics by patients visiting primary care clinics for mild upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs). A stratified cluster randomized design with two groups pre-post, comparing intervention with the control, was conducted in six health centers. TAP was implemented for eight weeks. Request for antibiotics was assessed before (period 1) and after introducing TAP (period 2). The percentage of patients or their escorts who requested antibiotics in period 1 was 59.7% in the control group and 60.2% in the intervention group. The percentage of patients who requested antibiotics did not significantly change between period 1 and 2 in the control group, who continued to receive the standard of care. The above percentage significantly decreased in the intervention group from 60.2% to 38.5% (<i>p</i> < 0.05). We conclude that behavioral change programs including TAP are a viable alternative strategy to address antibiotic misuse in Jordan.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/9/8/507antibioticsmicrobial resistanceupper respiratory tract infections |
| spellingShingle | Nasser M. Kaplan Yousef S. Khader Mahmoud A. Alfaqih Rami Saadeh Lora Al Sawalha Implementation of the WHO Approved “Tailoring Antimicrobial Resistance Programs (TAP)” Reduces Patients’ Request for Antibiotics Antibiotics antibiotics microbial resistance upper respiratory tract infections |
| title | Implementation of the WHO Approved “Tailoring Antimicrobial Resistance Programs (TAP)” Reduces Patients’ Request for Antibiotics |
| title_full | Implementation of the WHO Approved “Tailoring Antimicrobial Resistance Programs (TAP)” Reduces Patients’ Request for Antibiotics |
| title_fullStr | Implementation of the WHO Approved “Tailoring Antimicrobial Resistance Programs (TAP)” Reduces Patients’ Request for Antibiotics |
| title_full_unstemmed | Implementation of the WHO Approved “Tailoring Antimicrobial Resistance Programs (TAP)” Reduces Patients’ Request for Antibiotics |
| title_short | Implementation of the WHO Approved “Tailoring Antimicrobial Resistance Programs (TAP)” Reduces Patients’ Request for Antibiotics |
| title_sort | implementation of the who approved tailoring antimicrobial resistance programs tap reduces patients request for antibiotics |
| topic | antibiotics microbial resistance upper respiratory tract infections |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/9/8/507 |
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