Effectiveness of Pharmacist-Led Brief Educational Intervention for Adherence to the Antibiotics for Lower Respiratory Tract Infections (EATSA) in Post-Conflict Rural Areas of Pakistan: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Faiz Ullah Khan,Yu Fang

doi:10.3390/antibiotics10101147

Faiz Ullah Khan, Yu Fang

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics10101147

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Journal: Antibiotics	Publication Date: Sep 23, 2021
Citations: 4	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Xi'an Jiaotong University

Abstract

Globally, lower respiratory infections (LRTIs) are one of the most common infectious diseases whichaffect majority of the population and as a result of inappropriate antibiotics practices lead to antibiotic resistance (AR). An individual randomized control trial will be conducted in the post-conflict areas of Swat, Pakistan, through a random sampling method. Patients aged > 18 years will be recruited from five community pharmacies and assigned to equally sized groups to receive either pharmacist-led education interventions or usual care with no intervention. A total of 400 (control = 200, study = 200) patients will be included, with prescriptions comprised of antibiotics for LRTIs. The outcomes measured in both groups will be a combination of treatment cure rate and adherence, which will be assessed using the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale and pill count. The trial comprises pharmacist-led educational interventions to improve treatment outcomes for patients with LRTIs. This study might establish the groundwork for pharmaceutical care of LRTIs patients with antibacterial therapy and the future delivery of a care strategy for the improvement of LRTIs treatment outcomes in post-conflict, remote areas of the third world and LMICs.

Highlights

IntroductionLower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) are one of the leading infectious diseases, the fifth overall cause of death, and the second most common cause of disability adjusted life years (DALYs), despite their being mainly preventable causes of mortality and morbidity [2]
Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) are a type of acute sickness that lasts for 21 days or less and is characterized by the presence of at least one other lower respiratory tract symptom, in addition to the main symptom of cough, with no other suitable explanation [1]
The LRTIs (2015) global burden of disease study noted that LRTIs were assessed to have caused 103.0 million disability adjusted life years (DALYs) and 2.74 million deaths [2]

Summary

Introduction

LRTIs are one of the leading infectious diseases, the fifth overall cause of death, and the second most common cause of disability adjusted life years (DALYs), despite their being mainly preventable causes of mortality and morbidity [2]. Over the last ten years, the epidemiology of LRTIs has changed, with a rise in patients over the age of 70 [2]. LRTIs have no specific definitions besides the epidemiological perspective. LRTIs comprise bronchitis, acute exacerbations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pneumonia, community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), bronchiolitis, and influenza [2,3,4]. The LRTIs (2015) global burden of disease study noted that LRTIs were assessed to have caused 103.0 million DALYs and 2.74 million deaths [2]

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