TY - JOUR
T1 - General practitioners' knowledge, attitude and prescribing of antibiotics for upper respiratory tract infections in Selangor, Malaysia
T2 - Findings and implications
AU - Hassali, Mohamed Azmi
AU - Kamil, Tengku Karmila Tengku
AU - Md Yusof, Faridah Aryani
AU - Alrasheedy, Alian A.
AU - Yusoff, Zuraidah Mohd
AU - Saleem, Fahad
AU - Al-Tamimi, Saleh Karamah
AU - Wong, Zhi Yen
AU - Aljadhey, Hisham
AU - Godman, Brian
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 Informa UK, Ltd.
PY - 2015/4/1
Y1 - 2015/4/1
N2 - Background: Antibiotics are widely prescribed especially for upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs). Their irrational use can increase costs and resistance. Aim: Assess knowledge, attitude and prescribing of antibiotics for URTIs in Selangor, Malaysia, using a cross-sectional survey among general practitioners (GPs) working in private clinics in 2011. Results: One hundred and thirty-nine physicians completed the questionnaire (response rate = 34.8%). 49.6% (n = 69) agreed antibiotics are helpful in treating URTIs, with most GPs agreeing antibiotics may reduce URTI duration and complications. The majority of GPs reported they felt patients expected antibiotics, with 36.7% (n = 51) agreeing patients would change doctors if they did not prescribe antibiotics and 21.6% (n = 30) agreeing when requested they prescribe antibiotics even if they believe them to be unnecessary. When assessed against six criteria, most GPs had a moderate level of knowledge of prescribing for URTIs. However, antibiotic prescriptions could be appreciably reduced. Conclusion: Further programs are needed to educate GPs and patients about antibiotics building on current initiatives.
AB - Background: Antibiotics are widely prescribed especially for upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs). Their irrational use can increase costs and resistance. Aim: Assess knowledge, attitude and prescribing of antibiotics for URTIs in Selangor, Malaysia, using a cross-sectional survey among general practitioners (GPs) working in private clinics in 2011. Results: One hundred and thirty-nine physicians completed the questionnaire (response rate = 34.8%). 49.6% (n = 69) agreed antibiotics are helpful in treating URTIs, with most GPs agreeing antibiotics may reduce URTI duration and complications. The majority of GPs reported they felt patients expected antibiotics, with 36.7% (n = 51) agreeing patients would change doctors if they did not prescribe antibiotics and 21.6% (n = 30) agreeing when requested they prescribe antibiotics even if they believe them to be unnecessary. When assessed against six criteria, most GPs had a moderate level of knowledge of prescribing for URTIs. However, antibiotic prescriptions could be appreciably reduced. Conclusion: Further programs are needed to educate GPs and patients about antibiotics building on current initiatives.
KW - Malaysia
KW - antibiotics
KW - education programs
KW - irrational use of medicines
KW - patients
KW - physicians
KW - respiratory tract infections
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84924700914&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1586/14787210.2015.1012497
DO - 10.1586/14787210.2015.1012497
M3 - Article
C2 - 25704246
AN - SCOPUS:84924700914
SN - 1478-7210
VL - 13
SP - 511
EP - 520
JO - Expert Review of Anti-Infective Therapy
JF - Expert Review of Anti-Infective Therapy
IS - 4
ER -
