Abstract
Objectives: To study the proportion, patterns, and factors associated with inappropriate antibiotic prescription (IAP) in acute upper respiratory tract infection (ARTI) at the Student Health Center (SHC), Prince of Songkla University (PSU). Methodology: A descriptive retrospective study was conducted by reviewing medical records from the hospital information system (HIS) of Songklanagarind Hospital. Seven hundred and thirty ARTI patients, who met inclusion criteria at the SHC, PSU from 1 January to 30 September 2018 and diagnosed with common cold, acute pharyngitis, and acute tonsillitis under the ICD10 code. Four hundred and thirty-four patients were excluded after medical record review. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed in the data analysis using the R® 4.0.0. software program. Associations were evaluated via odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals. The level of statistical significance was set at p<0.05 using multivariate analysis. Results: Two hundred and ninety-six participants were enrolled in the study. The proportion of antibiotic use in ARTI was 17.2% (51 of 296). Among antibiotic prescriptions, the proportion of IAP was 80.4 % (41 of 51). The patterns of IAP were as follows: no antibiotics indication 90.2% (37 of 41), wrong duration 26.2% (11 of 41,—a 5 day amoxicillin therapy was the most common 27.2%), and wrong dose 12.2% (5 of 41,—all received amoxicillin in the dose of 2,000 mg/day). The multivariate analysis demonstrated that factors significantly associated with IAP were being a patient with an underlying disease (adjusted OR=4.22, p=<0.001) and a nurse practitioner as prescriber (adjusted OR=10.93, p=<0.001). Conclusion: Antibiotic prescriptions in ARTI at the SHC, PSU did not exceed the 20% rate set in the rational drug use hospital policy for antibiotic prescription criteria. Nevertheless, the proportion of IAP among ARTI patients was high, and the most common pattern was prescribing antibiotics without an indication. Therefore, future research should focus on how to enhance the adherence to antibiotic prescription guidelines to promote appropriate antibiotic prescription, especially among nurse practitioners.
