학술논문

Prescribing pattern of antibiotics by family physicians in primary health care
Document Type
article
Source
Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice, Vol 16, Iss 1, Pp 1-9 (2023)
Subject
Antibiotic prescribing
Family physicians
Primary health care
Iran
Therapeutics. Pharmacology
RM1-950
Pharmacy and materia medica
RS1-441
Language
English
ISSN
2052-3211
Abstract
Abstract Purpose Irrational prescription of antibiotics is an ongoing global public health concern, leading to antibiotic resistance. Understanding the prescribing pattern of antibiotics is important to tackling mal-prescription and antibiotic resistance. We aimed to investigate the pattern and factors affecting outpatients’ antibiotic prescribing by family physicians in Primary Health Care (PHC). Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in 19 PHC facilities in Alborz province. Prescribing pattern of antibiotics was evaluated among 1068 prescriptions by family physicians. Prescribing pattern of antibiotics included prescriptions containing antibiotics, the number of antibiotics per prescription, type, name of antibiotic, and mal-prescription. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Results Overall, 57% of the prescriptions had ≥ 1 antibiotic and the average number of antibiotics per prescription was 1.27. Amoxicillin was the commonly prescribed antibiotic. There was a significant relationship between age, sex, type of health insurance, work experience of the physician, and seasons with antibiotic prescribing (P