Antibiotic prescribing to inpatients in Limpopo, South Africa: a multicentre point-prevalence survey.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Electronic continuous surveillance databases are ideal for monitoring antibiotic use (ABU) in hospitalised patients for antibiotic stewardship programmes (ASP). However, such databases are scarce in low-resource settings. Point prevalence surveys (PPS) are viable alternatives. This report describes ABU and identifies ASP implementation improvement areas in Limpopo Province, South Africa.

Methods

This cross-sectional descriptive study extracted patient-level ABU data from patients' files using a modified global PPS tool. Data were collected between September and November 2021 at five regional hospitals in Limpopo Province, South Africa. All patients in the wards before 8 a.m. on study days with an antibiotic prescription were included. Antibiotic use was stratified

SUBMITTER: Mthombeni TC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10505321 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature