Public healthcare practitioners’ knowledge, attitudes and practices related to oral antibiotic prescriptions for dental use in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal
Background: There is limited published evidence on health workers’ perspectives on trends in oral antibiotic prescription for dental conditions in the public health sector. Aim: This study set to determine healthcare practitioners’ knowledge, attitudes and practices related to oral antibiotic presc...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | Afrikaans |
| Published: |
AOSIS
2022-04-01
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| Series: | Health SA Gesondheid: Journal of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hsag.co.za/index.php/hsag/article/view/1832 |
| _version_ | 1811306710960177152 |
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| author | Prishana Ramnarain Shenuka Singh |
| author_facet | Prishana Ramnarain Shenuka Singh |
| author_sort | Prishana Ramnarain |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: There is limited published evidence on health workers’ perspectives on trends in oral antibiotic prescription for dental conditions in the public health sector.
Aim: This study set to determine healthcare practitioners’ knowledge, attitudes and practices related to oral antibiotic prescriptions for dental use.
Setting: This included two public hospitals in Pietermaritzburg.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study using quantitative data. Purposive sampling was used to select medical and dental practitioners from Institution A and B (n = 122). A self-administered questionnaire was developed using open and close-ended questions. Data were collected and analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (IBM SPSS version 25R).
Results: The response rate for the study was 72.1%. The majority of study participants (n = 72, 81.8%) indicated awareness of an antibiotic stewardship programme in their respective institutions. However, a significant number (n = 42; 47.7%) of participants were unsure of whether this programme was active. Most participants (n = 80, 90.9%) indicated the need for improving oral antibiotic prescription for dental conditions. Participants indicated prescription of antibiotics for orofacial swellings (n = 52; 59.0%) and dental pain related to irreversible pulpitis (n = 29; 32.9%), reversible pulpitis (n = 33; 37.5%) and dental fillings (n = 15; 17.0%). Antibiotics were also prescribed for pericoronitis (n = 58; 65.9%), periodontitis (n = 57; 64.7%) and impacted teeth (n = 21; 23.8%). All dental practitioners (n = 14) supported the need for antibiotic cover for pericoronitis and periodontitis.
Conclusion: The results indicated inconsistencies in healthcare practitioners’ reported knowledge, attitudes and practices related to antibiotic prescription patterns.
Contribution: This study highlights the need for clear evidence-based guidelines for antibiotic prescription for dental conditions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T08:50:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cd518935426b46bbb9f36055cd4e9dc7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1025-9848 2071-9736 |
| language | Afrikaans |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T08:50:22Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Health SA Gesondheid: Journal of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-cd518935426b46bbb9f36055cd4e9dc72022-12-22T02:53:31ZafrAOSISHealth SA Gesondheid: Journal of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences1025-98482071-97362022-04-01270e1e710.4102/hsag.v27i0.1832917Public healthcare practitioners’ knowledge, attitudes and practices related to oral antibiotic prescriptions for dental use in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-NatalPrishana Ramnarain0Shenuka Singh1Discipline of Dentistry, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, DurbanDiscipline of Dentistry, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, DurbanBackground: There is limited published evidence on health workers’ perspectives on trends in oral antibiotic prescription for dental conditions in the public health sector. Aim: This study set to determine healthcare practitioners’ knowledge, attitudes and practices related to oral antibiotic prescriptions for dental use. Setting: This included two public hospitals in Pietermaritzburg. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study using quantitative data. Purposive sampling was used to select medical and dental practitioners from Institution A and B (n = 122). A self-administered questionnaire was developed using open and close-ended questions. Data were collected and analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (IBM SPSS version 25R). Results: The response rate for the study was 72.1%. The majority of study participants (n = 72, 81.8%) indicated awareness of an antibiotic stewardship programme in their respective institutions. However, a significant number (n = 42; 47.7%) of participants were unsure of whether this programme was active. Most participants (n = 80, 90.9%) indicated the need for improving oral antibiotic prescription for dental conditions. Participants indicated prescription of antibiotics for orofacial swellings (n = 52; 59.0%) and dental pain related to irreversible pulpitis (n = 29; 32.9%), reversible pulpitis (n = 33; 37.5%) and dental fillings (n = 15; 17.0%). Antibiotics were also prescribed for pericoronitis (n = 58; 65.9%), periodontitis (n = 57; 64.7%) and impacted teeth (n = 21; 23.8%). All dental practitioners (n = 14) supported the need for antibiotic cover for pericoronitis and periodontitis. Conclusion: The results indicated inconsistencies in healthcare practitioners’ reported knowledge, attitudes and practices related to antibiotic prescription patterns. Contribution: This study highlights the need for clear evidence-based guidelines for antibiotic prescription for dental conditions.https://hsag.co.za/index.php/hsag/article/view/1832oral antibioticsprescriptionshealth practitionerspublic health |
| spellingShingle | Prishana Ramnarain Shenuka Singh Public healthcare practitioners’ knowledge, attitudes and practices related to oral antibiotic prescriptions for dental use in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal Health SA Gesondheid: Journal of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences oral antibiotics prescriptions health practitioners public health |
| title | Public healthcare practitioners’ knowledge, attitudes and practices related to oral antibiotic prescriptions for dental use in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal |
| title_full | Public healthcare practitioners’ knowledge, attitudes and practices related to oral antibiotic prescriptions for dental use in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal |
| title_fullStr | Public healthcare practitioners’ knowledge, attitudes and practices related to oral antibiotic prescriptions for dental use in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal |
| title_full_unstemmed | Public healthcare practitioners’ knowledge, attitudes and practices related to oral antibiotic prescriptions for dental use in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal |
| title_short | Public healthcare practitioners’ knowledge, attitudes and practices related to oral antibiotic prescriptions for dental use in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal |
| title_sort | public healthcare practitioners knowledge attitudes and practices related to oral antibiotic prescriptions for dental use in pietermaritzburg kwazulu natal |
| topic | oral antibiotics prescriptions health practitioners public health |
| url | https://hsag.co.za/index.php/hsag/article/view/1832 |
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