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, M.A.
AU - Kamil, T.K.T.
AU - Faridah, A.M.Y.
AU - Alrasheedy, A.A.
AU - Yussoff, Z.M.
AU - Saleem, F.
AU - AL-Tamimi, S.K.
AU - Wong, Z.Y.
AU - Aljadhey, H.
AU - Godman, B.
PY - 2015/4/1
Y1 - 2015/4/1
N2 - Background: Antibiotics are widely prescribed especially for 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 GPs working in private clinics in 2011. Results: 139 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 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 programmes are needed to educate GPs and patients about antibiotics building on current initiatives.
AB - Background: Antibiotics are widely prescribed especially for 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 GPs working in private clinics in 2011. Results: 139 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 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 programmes are needed to educate GPs and patients about antibiotics building on current initiatives.
KW - general practitioner
KW - upper respiratory tract infections
KW - antibiotics
UR - http://informahealthcare.com/journal/erz
U2 - 10.1586/14787210.2015.1012497
DO - 10.1586/14787210.2015.1012497
M3 - Article
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 -