Knowledge of antibiotic resistance and antibiotic prescription practices among prescribers in the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana; a cross-sectional study

BMC Health Services Research

On behalf of the Ghana Antimicrobial Resistance Working Group¹  Kwame Ohene Buabeng²  Edith Gavor³  Martha Gyansa-Lutterodt³  Martha Ali Abdulai⁴  Kwaku Poku Asante⁴  Emmanuel Mahama⁴  Francis Dzabeng⁴  Seth Owusu-Agyei⁴  Ellen Abrafi Boamah⁴  Edith Andrews Annan⁵ 

[1] ;Faculty of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Services, College of Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology;Ghana National Drugs Programme, Ministry of Health;Kintampo Health Research Centre, Ghana Health Service;World Health Organization, Ghana Country Office;

关键词: Antibiotic resistance;    Prescribers;    Knowledge;    Prescription;    Practices;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12913-017-2365-2

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Abstract Background Antibiotic resistance (ABR) has become a major public health challenge in most parts of the world including Ghana and is a major threat to gain in bacterial disease control. The role of prescribers in the control of antibiotics is identified as crucial in developing interventions to control ABR. To guide policy recommendations on ABR, a study was carried out among prescribers to identify gaps in their knowledge of ABR and to document their prescription practices. Method A cross-sectional survey was conducted among prescribers from both public and private facilities in the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana using both quantitative and qualitative methods in 2014. Results Three hundred and seventy nine prescribers participated in the quantitative study and a subset of 33 participated in in-depth interviews. Majority (50.0%) of the prescribers interviewed were nurses. Most (51.0%) of the prescribers were located in hospitals. Knowledge of ABR was high among all the prescribers. About 80.0% percent of all prescribers agreed that the antibiotics that are currently used could lose its efficacy in future. There is no singular formal source of information on antibiotic resistance. The prescribers held a strong perception that antibiotic resistance is imminent though their knowledge on various resistant bacterial strains was limited. Prescribers attributed ABR burden to factors such as poor prescription practices and limited ABR control measures. The prescription practices of the prescribers vary but were mostly inappropriate among the lower cadre. Conclusion The knowledge of ABR is high among prescribers. There is however a gap in the knowledge and perception of optimal antibiotic prescription practices among prescribers. There is the need for a formal source of information on ABR to support prescriber’s antibiotic prescription practices.

【 授权许可】

Unknown