TY - JOUR
T1 - Awareness Regarding Antimicrobial Resistance and Antibiotic Prescribing Behavior among Physicians
T2 - Results from a Nationwide Cross-Sectional Survey in India
AU - Mittal, Niti
AU - Goel, Parul
AU - Goel, Kapil
AU - Sharma, Rashmi
AU - Nath, Bhola
AU - Singh, Surjit
AU - Thangaraju, Pugazhenthan
AU - Mittal, Rakesh
AU - Kahkasha,
AU - Mithra, Prasanna
AU - Sahu, Rajesh
AU - Priyadarshini, Raman P.
AU - Sharma, Nikita
AU - Pala, Star
AU - Rohilla, Suneel Kumar
AU - Kaushal, Jyoti
AU - Sah, Sanjit
AU - Rustagi, Sarvesh
AU - Sah, Ranjit
AU - Barboza, Joshuan J.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 by the authors.
PY - 2023/10
Y1 - 2023/10
N2 - (1) Background: Understanding the physicians’ knowledge, attitudes, and antimicrobial prescribing behavior is a crucial step towards designing strategies for the optimal use of these agents. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among clinicians across India between May and July 2022 using a self-administered questionnaire in English comprising 35 questions pertaining to demographic characteristics, knowledge, attitude, and practices domains. (3) Results: A total of 544 responses were received from 710 physicians contacted. Sixty percent of participants were males, with mean age of 34.7 years. Mean ± Standard Deviation scores for knowledge, attitude, and practices domains were 8 ± 1.6, 20.2 ± 3.5, and 15.3 ± 2.1, respectively. Higher scores were associated with basic [odds ratio (95% Confidence Interval), p value: 2.95 (1.21, 7.2), 0.02], medical and allied sciences [2.71 (1.09, 6.67), 0.03], and central zone [3.75 (1.39, 10.12), 0.009]. A substantial proportion of dissatisfactory responses were found regarding hospital antibiograms, antibiotics effective against anaerobes, WHO AWaRe (access, watch, and reserve) classification of antibiotics, and the role of infection prevention and control (IPC) measures in the containment of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). (4) Conclusions: There is a need to sensitize and educate clinicians on various issues related to antimicrobial use, such as antibiograms, double anaerobic cover, IPC practices, and guideline-based recommendations, to curb the AMR pandemic.
AB - (1) Background: Understanding the physicians’ knowledge, attitudes, and antimicrobial prescribing behavior is a crucial step towards designing strategies for the optimal use of these agents. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among clinicians across India between May and July 2022 using a self-administered questionnaire in English comprising 35 questions pertaining to demographic characteristics, knowledge, attitude, and practices domains. (3) Results: A total of 544 responses were received from 710 physicians contacted. Sixty percent of participants were males, with mean age of 34.7 years. Mean ± Standard Deviation scores for knowledge, attitude, and practices domains were 8 ± 1.6, 20.2 ± 3.5, and 15.3 ± 2.1, respectively. Higher scores were associated with basic [odds ratio (95% Confidence Interval), p value: 2.95 (1.21, 7.2), 0.02], medical and allied sciences [2.71 (1.09, 6.67), 0.03], and central zone [3.75 (1.39, 10.12), 0.009]. A substantial proportion of dissatisfactory responses were found regarding hospital antibiograms, antibiotics effective against anaerobes, WHO AWaRe (access, watch, and reserve) classification of antibiotics, and the role of infection prevention and control (IPC) measures in the containment of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). (4) Conclusions: There is a need to sensitize and educate clinicians on various issues related to antimicrobial use, such as antibiograms, double anaerobic cover, IPC practices, and guideline-based recommendations, to curb the AMR pandemic.
KW - antibiograms
KW - antimicrobial resistance
KW - prescribing practices
KW - stewardship
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85175264256&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/antibiotics12101496
DO - 10.3390/antibiotics12101496
M3 - Artículo
AN - SCOPUS:85175264256
SN - 2079-6382
VL - 12
JO - Antibiotics
JF - Antibiotics
IS - 10
M1 - 1496
ER -