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Background: The threat of antibiotic resistance is rapidly progressing and intensifying. The awareness generation of antibiotic use, its seriousness and significance are the first step towards restricting its progress. It is in this regards that this comparative questionnaire-based study was conducted.Methods: The knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) among medical and dental students of a tertiary care teaching rural hospital was assessed. Before initiating the study, their written consent was taken, and 125 structured questionnaires were distributed to medical and dental students. Data collected was further entered in Microsoft excel sheet and further comparison of KAP between them was analysed.Results: The results were depicted in percentage. Regarding the indiscriminate and injudicious use of antibiotics can lead to prolongation of illness, the medical students were more aware 82.4% compared to the dental 65.6%. When asked about additional burden of medical cost to the patient, the medical students responded with yes 88.8% and dental student’s response of yes was 47.22%. Also, medical 90.4% students had heard about antibiotic resistance and 60.8% from dental students, which implies that UG students should be made more aware of antibiotic resistance and its consequences.Conclusions: Thus, the results of the study give useful information about the knowledge, attitudes and practices of medical and dental students, that can be further utilized to plan suitable educational interventions that target at improving the knowledge for prescribing antimicrobial medicines. This can further help in minimizing the development of bacterial resistance.
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Background: Awareness regarding the antibiotic usage forms vital way to overcome the quickly deepening problem of antibiotic resistance. Hence, all the medical students should be made aware of the current emerging health related issues as future clinicians. It is in this regards that this study was undertaken among undergraduate (UG) students, in order to assess their knowledge, attitude & practice concerning antibiotic use.Methods: The present observational study was conducted over a period of four months starting from May 2018 till August 2018 among undergraduates. A total of 250 structured questionnaires were distributed. Data collected was further entered in Microsoft excel sheet and further analysed.Results: Total 250 students participated in this present study. Out of them, nearly 75.6% had heard about antibiotic resistance while 24.4% denied. Regarding the improper use of antibiotics that can cause antibiotic resistance 70% was aware. Moreover, nearly 40.4% attended a CME about rational use of antibiotics. The belief that the antibiotics are safe drugs hence they can be commonly used was reported by 48%. The results were grouped into knowledge, attitude and practice regarding the antibiotic use.Conclusions: Thus, the result gives us useful insight regarding KAP of the undergraduate students who will be future prescribers of antibiotics. This can be further applied to plan desirable educational informative interventions that focus on improving the knowledge for prescribing antibiotics in future clinicians, which can further help in reducing the development of antibiotic resistance.
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Background: The package insert (PI) is important for providing accurate and reliable product information which is essential for the safe and effective use of medications.Methods: A total number of 115 PIs from pharmacological drug class such as antibiotics, drugs acting on central nervous system and drugs acting on endocrine system were collected from pharmacy store. Contents and presentation of the PIs was critically evaluated by comparing the information as listed in the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945.Results: The results were expressed under headings as listed in the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945. The information in the package inserts was inadequate in many aspects; for example, adverse drug reactions were not mentioned completely, information for special population and guidelines for use of the drugs also was lacking. Moreover, black box warning was seen only in few PI. For PI of antibiotics; legibility 80%, use in special populations 76.66%, undesirable effects 46.66%. For PI of CNS of legibility 60%, use in special populations 73.33%, undesirable effects 70%. For PI of endocrine system of legibility 70%, use in special populations 70%, undesirable effects 36.66%.Conclusions: The results reveal that, information relevant to the safe and effective use of medication was not mentioned in the analyzed package inserts. It is, therefore, recommended to update the existing package inserts based on criteria mentioned in the Schedule D of Drug and Cosmetic Act, 1945.
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Background: Drug promotional literature (DPLs) is an integral approach of pharmaceutical marketing strategy, which can almost influence a physician to prescribe definite variety of medicine from a particular company. The objective was to evaluate the accuracy, consistency, and validity of the information in accordance with the World Health Organization (WHO) ethical criteria for medicinal drug promotion.Methods: This was an observational study, in which total 100 DPLs were sorted out to evaluate whether the information is consistent/relevant with that presented by the criteria laid down by the WHO guidelines; such as nature of claims, pictorial content presented, cited references, the indication and significance of various data such as figure, graphs, table and clinical data.Results: From all the 100 promotional literatures sorted out, all showed the INN name and brand name, amount of active ingredient, dosage form and name and address of manufacturers/distributers was shown in all; adjuvants known to cause problem were not shown. Moreover, approved therapeutic uses were clearly mentioned in 35, 48 were having pictures presented, scientific graphs and clinical data were shown in 19.Conclusions: The results reveal that, majority of DPLs satisfied only half of the WHO criteria for rational drug promotion and none of them fulfilled all the specified criteria. Incomplete or exaggerated information in DPLs may mislead and result in irrational prescription. Therefore, physicians should critically evaluate DPLs regarding updated scientific evidence required for quality patient care.