PRESCRIPTION PATTERN, COST, AND APPROPRIATENESS OF ANTIMICROBIAL USE BY RURAL PRIVATE PRACTITIONERS - A PROSPECTIVE OBSERVATIONAL STUDY

Abstract

Objectives: Antimicrobial consumption in India is continuously increasing, and so are the chances of the emergence of antimicrobial resistance. This present study intends to identify and assess the appropriateness of antimicrobials prescribed by rural private practitioners and the average cost of antimicrobials per prescription. Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted by the Department of Pharmacology, Government Medical College, Jaulan (Orai). The study included all the prescriptions coming to the chemist shops in the rural town area, having one or more antimicrobials written by private practitioners and assessed for prescription pattern, appropriateness, and cost. Results: Most antimicrobials were prescribed for gastrointestinal infection (33.50%), followed by fever (27.70%). Only in 12.60% of prescriptions, the utilization of antimicrobials in treatment was established (Category I), and in 56.20% of prescriptions rationale for the utilization of antimicrobials was not established (Category IV and V). Conclusions: In the study, we found that the maximum antimicrobials prescribed in private settings were by doctors having only MBBS degrees, and more than half of the prescriptions were Inappropriate. More efforts are required to train our medical graduates in antimicrobial stewardship and Antibiotic Stewardship, Prevention of Infection and Control programs and nursing staff to make these programs successful at the ground level.