RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Examining the knowledge, attitude, perceptions and practices (KAP) of the medical students regarding antibiotic resistance (ABR) and use can help us in devising suitable educational interventions for them, tailored according to their earlier held knowledge, beliefs, capabilities and experience. METHODS: A cross sectional, questionnaire based survey was conducted among the second year medical students of a teaching hospital, whereby their KAP regarding antibiotic use and resistance was assessed by using a five point Likert scale, whose responses ranged from 'strongly agree' to 'strongly disagree,' 'always' to 'never and 'very important' to 'unimportant'. The data was analyzed by using simple descriptive statistics. Wherever it was relevant, the Chi-square test was used to determine any significant difference. RESULTS: The response rate was 100 per cent. The number of respondents who agreed that ABR was an important and a serious public health issue in our teaching hospital (n= 66, 68 per cent), was significantly less (p < 0.001) as compared to the number of respondents who agreed that ABR was an important and a serious issue which the country (n = 86, 88.65 per cent) and the world (n = 88, 90.7 per cent) were facing. Only 77.3 per cent (n= 75) of the respondents were aware that bacteria were not responsible for causing colds and flu, while the remaining 22.7 per cent (n = 22) were not knowledgeable about this fact. More than 80 per cent rated the adverse effect profile of the antibiotic and the risk of a superinfection as the important factors which deserved consideration. Cost of the antibiotic was considered to be an important factor deserving consideration by only 56.7 percent (n=55) of the participants. CONCLUSIONS: Our survey revealed that most of the students were aware of the antimicrobial resistance and its consequences. The only concern was their casual attitude regarding the antibiotic use. Further educational interventions are necessary to improve their understanding and perceptions on antibiotic resistance, as well as their attitude towards antibiotic use.
RESUMO
CONTEXT: Inappropriate antimicrobial use increases the incidence of drug resistance, drug toxicity and superinfections, thereby increasing the healthcare costs. Various approaches for rationalizing the antimicrobial therapy, have been suggested. Collection of baseline data on the pattern of the antimicrobial use is usually suggested as the first step in this direction, which will help in identifying the problem areas, which demand our attention. AIMS: To study the usage pattern of prophylactic antimicrobials in surgical patients, in order to detect any inappropriateness concerning the selection, timing, redosing and the duration of antimicrobial administration. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A retrospective review of the randomly selected medical records of general surgical cases over an 8 month period in a tertiary care teaching hospital. METHODS AND MATERIAL: The medical records of 258 patients who had undergone surgical procedures were verified for the appropriateness of the antimicrobial prophylaxis, with respect to the choice of the antimicrobial agent, the time of its administration, the intraoperative dosing, and the duration of the postoperative use. The obtained data was analyzed and conclusions were drawn with the help of descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Third generation cephalosporins were used preoperatively in all the 258(100%) patients through the intravenous route. In addition, 77(30%) patients received metronidazole or amikacin. The antimicrobials were administered half an hour to one hour before the surgery. No intraoperative redosing was given. The duration of the postoperative prophylaxis was extended to 36 hours or more in 248(96%) of the cases. CONCLUSIONS: The timing of administration of the preoperative dose was appropriate and well delegated to the operating room nurse. The intra operative dose was appropriately omitted. The main concern was the increasing use of the third generation cephalosporins and the unnecessary prolonged duration of the postoperative prophylaxis, which needed to be addressed.
