Ramnarain Prishana, Singh Shenuka
Discipline of Dentistry, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.
Health SA. 2022 Apr 29;27:1832. doi: 10.4102/hsag.v27i0.1832. eCollection 2022.
There is limited published evidence on health workers' perspectives on trends in oral antibiotic prescription for dental conditions in the public health sector.
This study set to determine healthcare practitioners' knowledge, attitudes and practices related to oral antibiotic prescriptions for dental use.
This included two public hospitals in Pietermaritzburg.
This was a cross-sectional study using quantitative data. Purposive sampling was used to select medical and dental practitioners from Institution A and B ( = 122). A self-administered questionnaire was developed using open and close-ended questions. Data were collected and analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (IBM SPSS version 25R).
The response rate for the study was 72.1%. The majority of study participants ( = 72, 81.8%) indicated awareness of an antibiotic stewardship programme in their respective institutions. However, a significant number ( = 42; 47.7%) of participants were unsure of whether this programme was active. Most participants ( = 80, 90.9%) indicated the need for improving oral antibiotic prescription for dental conditions. Participants indicated prescription of antibiotics for orofacial swellings ( = 52; 59.0%) and dental pain related to irreversible pulpitis ( = 29; 32.9%), reversible pulpitis ( = 33; 37.5%) and dental fillings ( = 15; 17.0%). Antibiotics were also prescribed for pericoronitis ( = 58; 65.9%), periodontitis ( = 57; 64.7%) and impacted teeth ( = 21; 23.8%). All dental practitioners ( = 14) supported the need for antibiotic cover for pericoronitis and periodontitis.
The results indicated inconsistencies in healthcare practitioners' reported knowledge, attitudes and practices related to antibiotic prescription patterns.
This study highlights the need for clear evidence-based guidelines for antibiotic prescription for dental conditions.
关于卫生工作者对公共卫生部门牙科疾病口服抗生素处方趋势的看法，已发表的证据有限。
本研究旨在确定医疗从业者与牙科用口服抗生素处方相关的知识、态度和做法。
这包括彼得马里茨堡的两家公立医院。
这是一项使用定量数据的横断面研究。采用目的抽样法从机构A和B中选取医学和牙科从业者（n = 122）。使用开放式和封闭式问题编制了一份自填式问卷。使用社会科学统计软件包（IBM SPSS版本25R）收集和分析数据。
该研究的回复率为72.1%。大多数研究参与者（n = 72，81.8%）表示知晓各自机构中的抗生素管理计划。然而，相当数量的参与者（n = 42；47.7%）不确定该计划是否有效。大多数参与者（n = 80，90.9%）表示需要改善牙科疾病的口服抗生素处方。参与者指出，抗生素用于治疗口面部肿胀（n = 52；59.0%）以及与不可逆性牙髓炎相关的牙痛（n = 29；32.9%）、可逆性牙髓炎（n = 33；37.5%）和补牙（n = 15；17.0%）。抗生素也用于治疗冠周炎（n = 58；65.9%）、牙周炎（n = 57；64.7%）和阻生牙（n = 21；23.8%）。所有牙科从业者（n = 14）都支持对冠周炎和牙周炎使用抗生素预防。
结果表明，医疗从业者报告的与抗生素处方模式相关的知识、态度和做法存在不一致。
本研究强调了针对牙科疾病抗生素处方制定明确的循证指南的必要性。
