DOCTOR’S PRESCRIBING TRENDS OF ANTIBIOTICS FOR OUT PATIENTS IN BANGLADESH: A CROSS-SECTIONAL HEALTH SURVEY CONDUCTED IN THREE DISTRICTS

Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyze and evaluate the practitioners’ prescribing habits of antibiotics in three cities of Bangladesh. Methods: A cross sectional health survey with manual data collection was carried out with a standardized questionnaire over three month period at the three cities Rajshahi, Jessore and Comilla in Bangladesh. The collected data was subjected to simple descriptive analyses including frequency distribution, mean and finally expressed in percentage. Results: A total of 900 prescriptions of outpatients were analyzed during the study period. It was found that the prescriber prescribed antibiotics to the patients who were suffering mainly from cold and fever, infections, diarrhea and gonorrhea. The highest prescribed antibiotic groups were cephalosporins (25.55%, 95%CI: 24.98-26.12), quinolones (23.75 %, 95%CI: 23.31-24.25), penicillins (15.78%, 95%CI: 15.41-16.15), macrolides (13.55%, 95%CI: 12.98-14.12) and metronidazoles (8.33%, 95%CI: 7.82-8.84) respectively. Two or more antibiotics were prescribed in 24.78 % of prescriptions. A total of 85% prescriptions had complete information on dosage form, 71.4% had complete direction for antibiotics use, 64% prescriptions had no clinical test for prescribing antibiotics, and 69.4% patients completed full course of antibiotics and the patient’s compliance was 81.6%.  Conclusion: This health survey seeks patient’s awareness towards antibiotics use extensively as well as suggests modifications in practitioners’ prescribing habits so as to ensure rational use of antibiotics in Bangladesh