- Authors: Alves DA, Couto I, Dias S, Gonçalves L, Gregório J, Lapão LV, Póvoa P, Simões AS, Viveiros M
- Publication Year: 2018
- Journal: Journal of global antimicrobial resistance
- Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213716518300158?via%3Dihub%20
OBJECTIVE: Since physicians play an important role on antibiotic usage, it is vital to understand their antibiotic-prescribing behaviour and knowledge on antimicrobial resistance, in order to develop and implement effective antibiotic stewardship interventions. The aim of this study was to evaluate Portuguese physicians’ knowledge, and understand prescription behaviours, difficulties and barriers in their antibiotic prescription process to promote better and well adapted antibiotic stewardship policies.
METHODS: The study was conducted in 2016, using a self-administered questionnaire to physicians in two tertiary public hospitals from two different regions in Portugal.
RESULTS: Participating physicians (30 of 63-response rate of 47.6%) identified antibiotic resistance as a global problem; however, one third did not recognize antibiotic resistance as a major problem on their own hospital. Factors that influence most antibiotic prescription were “microbiology laboratory results”, “patient clinical situation” and patient “co-morbidities”. On the other hand, “colleagues’ opinion” and “costs control” were considered less determining factors. Regarding difficulties and bottlenecks on the antibiotic prescription process, participant physicians reported the “lack of (or delayed) microbiological results” and “no access to antibiotic susceptibility patterns” as major barriers. “Education and training” was considered the most effective intervention to improve antibiotic prescription.
CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the design and implementation of antibiotic stewardship interventions should provide better data management and sharing tools between physicians and the microbiology laboratory, especially through the creation of antimicrobial prescribing guidelines according to hospital epidemiology, and an easy access to hospital antibiotic susceptibility patterns and epidemiological data.