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Awareness Regarding Antimicrobial Resistance and Antibiotic Prescribing Behaviour among Physicians: Results from a Nationwide Cross-Sectional Survey in India
Background: Understanding the physicians’ knowledge, attitudes and antimicrobial prescribing behaviour is a crucial step towards designing strategies for optimal use of these agents. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among clinicians across India between “May to July 2022” using a self-administered questionnaire in English comprising of 35 questions pertaining to demographic characteristics, knowledge, attitude and practices domains. Results. A total of 544 responses were received from 710 physicians contacted. 60 percent participants were males with mean age of 34.7 years. Mean ± SD scores for knowledge, attitude and practices domains were 8±1.6, 20.2±3.5 and 15.3±2.1, respectively. Higher scores were associated with basic [odds ratio (95% C.I.), P value: 2.95 (1.21, 7.2), 0.02], medical and allied sciences [2.71 (1.09, 6.67), 0.03] and central zone [3.75 (1.39, 10.12), 0.009]. A substantial proportion of dissatisfactory responses were found regarding hospital antibiograms, antibiotics effective against anaerobes, WHO AWaRe classification of antibiotics, and role of infection prevention and control (IPC) measures in containment of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Conclusions. There is a need to sensitize and educate clinicians on various issues related to antimicrobial use such as antibiograms, double anaerobic cover, IPC practices and guideline-based recommendations to curb the AMR pandemic.
Public Health and Healthcare, Public Health and Health Services
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