Antimicrobial prescription in family health units in Southern Brazil

This paper describes antimicrobial prescription, clinical indications, and seasonal characteristics in primary health care. We performed a cross-sectional study in family health units in Bagé, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, in July 2005 and January 2006. All medical prescriptions (n = 2,877) were...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cadernos de saúde pública 2008-08, Vol.24 (8), p.1791-1800
Main Authors: Tavares, Noemia U L, Bertoldi, Andréa D, Muccillo-Baisch, Ana Luiza
Format: Article
Language:Portuguese
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Anti-Infective Agents - administration & dosage
Anti-Infective Agents - therapeutic use
Brazil
Child
Child, Preschool
Cross-Sectional Studies
Drug Prescriptions - statistics & numerical data
Family Health
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Middle Aged
Practice Patterns, Physicians
Primary Health Care
Respiratory Tract Infections - drug therapy
Seasons
Young Adult
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Summary:This paper describes antimicrobial prescription, clinical indications, and seasonal characteristics in primary health care. We performed a cross-sectional study in family health units in Bagé, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, in July 2005 and January 2006. All medical prescriptions (n = 2,877) were analyzed, and the prevalence rates for antimicrobial prescription in winter and summer were 30.4% (95%CI: 28.5-32.4) and 21% (95%CI: 19.1-22.9), respectively. The most frequently prescribed antimicrobials were amoxicillin and sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim. The main clinical indications for antimicrobial prescription were non-specific upper respiratory tract infections (22.5%), throat infections (20.8%), urinary tract infections (13.3%), otitis (8.5%), and sinusitis (7.5%). We observed differences between summer and winter in prescriptions for the same diseases. Seasonal differences between treatment profiles for the same diseases show the absence of a consistent antimicrobial prescription pattern in primary health care, contrary to World Health Organization guidelines, which advocate the establishment of protocols for antimicrobial use at all levels of care, as a strategy to prevent inadequate usage and the occurrence of strains that are resistant to available antimicrobials.
ISSN:1678-4464
DOI:10.1590/S0102-311X2008000800008