Antibiotic use in India

Abstract

Master thesis, Programme in Medicine. TITLE: Antibiotic use in India -With aspects from a gender perspective. AUTHOR: Annika Wilbe. Background. Antibiotic resistance is one of the major upcoming health concerns in modern medicine. Bacteria are becoming resistant to antimicrobial therapies at an alarming rate. It is important to understand reasons and trends for prescribing these drugs, and also to see how the tools we have, such as microbial investigations, are being used. Objective. The aim of this study is to document how antibiotics are used in Kannur, India. To see who receives these drugs and why, and how microbial investigations are being used in the clinical work. The aim is also to see if there is any gender difference in these regards. Method. This study was conducted at Kannur Medical College in Kerala, southern India, during 8 weeks, February to April 2014. Information regarding antibiotic treatment and microbial investigations for patients admitted to the department for neurology and medicine with hospital stay >1 night was collected from case-sheets at discharge. Patients were also asked by the nurses if they were taking any antibiotics at admission. Results. 55% of the females and 70% of the males received antibiotic therapy during their hospitalization. 51% of all patients received a Cephalosporin, and 21% a Fluoroquinolone. 29% of the antibiotics were given by oral administration. 33% of the patients on antibiotics had a microbial culture investigated. 75% of these cultures were urine cultures. In 25% of the cultures a pathogen was found. No patients were at admission taking antibiotics without doctor’s prescription, and 7% were taking with prescription. Conclusions. Males tend to receive antibiotic treatment more frequently than females. Cephalosporins are widely used. Most antibiotics are administered IV. Microbial investigations are occasionally used. Patients did not use antibiotics without prescription, making doctor’s prescription the most important factor in the antibiotic use of the patient.