[Prescription patterns and antibiotic use in community-based infections].

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this study was to find out about the patterns of antibiotic use in the municipality of Sorocaba, through evaluating the reported diagnosis and the therapy used.

METHODS

An evaluation tool was applied among antibiotic users over a 12-month period. Sociodemographic data and information relating to health, diagnosis and therapeutics were gathered in relation to 403 users.

RESULTS

Great present use and the greatest previous use was found in the 0-10 year-old age group (p < 0.05). Infections with lung involvement were the ones most mentioned (p < 0.05) and penicillins were the drugs most used, present in 45.1% of the prescriptions. The mean duration of therapy for otitis (8.9 days) was below the recommendation. For sinusitis, 22% of the prescriptions did not give guidance regarding recommended use (10 days).

CONCLUSIONS

The lack and/or nonuse of therapeutic protocols resulted in great differences in prescription patterns, thereby leading to therapeutic failure and recurrence of infections, which were situations frequently found in this study.