Effects of a national policy advocating rational drug use on decreases in outpatient antibiotic prescribing rates in Thailand.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

This study examined the effects of a national policy advocating rational drug use (RDU), namely, the 'RDU Service Plan', starting in fiscal year 2017 and implemented by the Thai Ministry of Public Health (MOPH), on trends in antibiotic prescribing rates for outpatients. The policy was implemented subsequent to a voluntary campaign involving 136 hospitals, namely, the 'RDU Hospital Project', which was implemented during fiscal years 2014-2016.

Methods

Hospital-level antibiotic prescribing rates in fiscal years 2014-2019 for respiratory infections, acute diarrhea, and fresh wounds were aggregated for two hospital groups using equally weighted averages: early adopters of RDU activities through the RDU Hospital Project and late adopters under the RDU Service Plan. Pre-

SUBMITTER: Waleekhachonloet O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7886315 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan-Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature