A cross-sectional study of antibiotic prescribing in the outpatient department of Nam Can Tho University Hospital in 2024

Abstract

Antibiotic resistance is one of the leading threats to global health. Controlling antibiotic use in hospitals is an effective measure to prevent resistance. To describe the characteristics of antibiotic use in outpatient treatment at a hospital, a cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted using retrospective data extracted from outpatient prescriptions. A total of 400 outpatient prescriptions were included in the study. The mean age of patients was 45.8 ± 18.7 years, with 73.5% under the age of 60, and females accounting for 57.25%. The distribution of infectious conditions was diverse, with respiratory tract infections being the most common (53.25%), followed by gastrointestinal infections (21.25%) and urinary tract infections (11%). Comorbidities were present in 78% of the patients. Five antibiotic groups were used in treatment. Beta-lactams were the most commonly prescribed group, accounting for 63.75%, followed by quinolones (20.37%). Seventeen different antibiotic agents were recorded. Amoxicillin combined with clavulanic acid was the most frequently used agent (37.27%), Monotherapy regimens accounted for 77.25% of the prescriptions. Oral antibiotics were predominantly used. Most patients (91.04%) were treated with antibiotics for a duration of ≤ 7 days. This study provides data on the patterns of antibiotic use in outpatient department.