Implementation of the WHO Approved “Tailoring Antimicrobial Resistance Programs (TAP)” Reduces Patients’ Request for Antibiotics

Antibiotics

Lora Al Sawalha¹  YousefS. Khader²  Rami Saadeh²  NasserM. Kaplan³  MahmoudA. Alfaqih⁴ 

[1] Anti-Microbial-Resistance Officer, World Health Organization, Jordan Country Office, 11181 Amman, Jordan;Department of Community Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, 22110 Irbid, Jordan;Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, 22110 Irbid, Jordan;Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, 22110 Irbid, Jordan;

关键词: antibiotics;    microbial resistance;    upper respiratory tract infections;   

DOI  :  10.3390/antibiotics9080507

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

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% (p < 0.05). We conclude that behavioral change programs including TAP are a viable alternative strategy to address antibiotic misuse in Jordan.

【 授权许可】

Unknown