Investigating antibiotic use in Gaza Strip hospitals: A retrospective cross-sectional analysis

Introduction: Rates of antimicrobial resistance in the Gaza Strip are rising while regulations on antibiotics use are weakly implemented. This study aimed to investigate antibiotic use in hospitals utilizing World Health Organization (WHO) hospital, prescribing, and patient care indicators. Meth...

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Main Authors: Hala ZI Alagha, Maha Jebreel Al Telbani
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries 2022-11-01
Series:Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
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Online Access:https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/16985
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author Hala ZI Alagha
Maha Jebreel Al Telbani
author_facet Hala ZI Alagha
Maha Jebreel Al Telbani
author_sort Hala ZI Alagha
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Rates of antimicrobial resistance in the Gaza Strip are rising while regulations on antibiotics use are weakly implemented. This study aimed to investigate antibiotic use in hospitals utilizing World Health Organization (WHO) hospital, prescribing, and patient care indicators. Methodology: A retrospective study was conducted at Al Shifa medical complex (SMC), Nasser Medical Complex (NMC), and European Gaza Hospital (EGH). Data for hospital indicators were collected from drug inventory records and by interviewing hospital pharmacy managers, while data for prescribing and patient care indicators were collected from medical records from all departments. WHO standard data collection forms and formulas to calculate quantitative indicators were used. Results: Standard treatment guidelines for infectious diseases were unavailable. The availability of key antibiotics on the day of the investigation was 58.62%, 90.9%, and 44.82%, and antibiotics were out of stock for 120.5, 63.3, and 119.8 days/year in SMC, NMC, and EGH, respectively. A total of 1400 patients’ records were screened; 68.2% of patients were prescribed antibiotics with an average duration of 3 days. The number of antibiotics prescribed was 1.26/hospitalization, 55% were prescribed by generic name, 98% were consistent with the essential medicine list, and 94.7% were given parenterally. Ceftriaxone was the most commonly used antibiotic (47.5%). Adherence rates to STGs for Caesarean section antibiotic prophylaxis and for pneumonia were 43% and 6.3%, respectively. About 97% of doses of prescribed antibiotics were administered and patients on antibiotics stayed in the hospital for 4.1 days. Conclusions: Antibiotic utilization patterns are less than optimal. Strategies to improve antibiotic use in the investigated hospitals are needed.
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spelling doaj-art-6a44917d73d64263a60a6f95a9d344a72025-08-20T03:52:39ZengThe Journal of Infection in Developing CountriesJournal of Infection in Developing Countries1972-26802022-11-01161110.3855/jidc.16985Investigating antibiotic use in Gaza Strip hospitals: A retrospective cross-sectional analysisHala ZI Alagha0Maha Jebreel Al Telbani1Department of Pharmacology and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al Azhar University, Gaza, PalestineDepartment of Pharmacology and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al Azhar University, Gaza, Palestine Introduction: Rates of antimicrobial resistance in the Gaza Strip are rising while regulations on antibiotics use are weakly implemented. This study aimed to investigate antibiotic use in hospitals utilizing World Health Organization (WHO) hospital, prescribing, and patient care indicators. Methodology: A retrospective study was conducted at Al Shifa medical complex (SMC), Nasser Medical Complex (NMC), and European Gaza Hospital (EGH). Data for hospital indicators were collected from drug inventory records and by interviewing hospital pharmacy managers, while data for prescribing and patient care indicators were collected from medical records from all departments. WHO standard data collection forms and formulas to calculate quantitative indicators were used. Results: Standard treatment guidelines for infectious diseases were unavailable. The availability of key antibiotics on the day of the investigation was 58.62%, 90.9%, and 44.82%, and antibiotics were out of stock for 120.5, 63.3, and 119.8 days/year in SMC, NMC, and EGH, respectively. A total of 1400 patients’ records were screened; 68.2% of patients were prescribed antibiotics with an average duration of 3 days. The number of antibiotics prescribed was 1.26/hospitalization, 55% were prescribed by generic name, 98% were consistent with the essential medicine list, and 94.7% were given parenterally. Ceftriaxone was the most commonly used antibiotic (47.5%). Adherence rates to STGs for Caesarean section antibiotic prophylaxis and for pneumonia were 43% and 6.3%, respectively. About 97% of doses of prescribed antibiotics were administered and patients on antibiotics stayed in the hospital for 4.1 days. Conclusions: Antibiotic utilization patterns are less than optimal. Strategies to improve antibiotic use in the investigated hospitals are needed. https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/16985AntibioticsWHO indicatorsresistanceprescribinghospital
spellingShingle Hala ZI Alagha
Maha Jebreel Al Telbani
Investigating antibiotic use in Gaza Strip hospitals: A retrospective cross-sectional analysis
Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
Antibiotics
WHO indicators
resistance
prescribing
hospital
title Investigating antibiotic use in Gaza Strip hospitals: A retrospective cross-sectional analysis
title_full Investigating antibiotic use in Gaza Strip hospitals: A retrospective cross-sectional analysis
title_fullStr Investigating antibiotic use in Gaza Strip hospitals: A retrospective cross-sectional analysis
title_full_unstemmed Investigating antibiotic use in Gaza Strip hospitals: A retrospective cross-sectional analysis
title_short Investigating antibiotic use in Gaza Strip hospitals: A retrospective cross-sectional analysis
title_sort investigating antibiotic use in gaza strip hospitals a retrospective cross sectional analysis
topic Antibiotics
WHO indicators
resistance
prescribing
hospital
url https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/16985
work_keys_str_mv AT halazialagha investigatingantibioticuseingazastriphospitalsaretrospectivecrosssectionalanalysis
AT mahajebreelaltelbani investigatingantibioticuseingazastriphospitalsaretrospectivecrosssectionalanalysis