Title Antibiotic use in Lithuania, 2003 - 2008 /
Translation of Title Antibiotikų vartojimo ypatumai 2003-2008 m. Lietuvoje.
Authors Beržanskytė, Aušra
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Pages 44
Keywords [eng] antibiotics ; self-medication ; rapid test ; nursing hospitals
Abstract [eng] Antimicrobial resistance is mainly caused by inappropriate and abundant use of antibiotics. To enlighten the most relevant problematic areas in antibiotic use, where the decisions should be made, the different levels were analysed in this study: the self-medication with antibiotics of the population, ambulatory and also hospital antibiotic use. The results showed that wrong perception about antibiotics is characteristic to Lithuanian population, as there is lack of privity, while traditions of self-medication and also habits to apply the previous experience, when doctor prescribed antibiotics, are entrenched. As the ambulatory care covers the most of the population, the most antibiotics are consumed in this level. However often they are prescribed irrationally for non-bacterial infections just on the basis of clinical symptoms. The antibiotic prescribing for one of the most frequent infection acute pharyngitis / tonsillitis might be improved by implementation of rapid antigen detection tests. The extent of antibiotic consumption in nursing hospitals is low, but it is uncontrolled. Therefore the development of correct population approach, education of health care professionals, implementation of diagnostic tools, antibiotic sales‘ control, guidelines for diagnostics and treatment, approvement of antibiotic prescribing procedures – all those items would promote rational antibiotic use.
Type Summaries of doctoral thesis
Language English
Publication date 2009