Abstract
Antibiotic misuse in the community contributes to antimicrobial resistance. One way to address this may be by better utilizing community pharmacists' skills in antibiotic prescribing. The aims of this study were to examine the level of support for "down-scheduling" selected antibiotics and to evaluate factors determining the appropriateness of community pharmacist prescribing for a limited range of infections, including their decision to refer to a doctor. Self-administered questionnaires, including graded case vignette scenarios simulating real practice, were sent to Western Australian community pharmacists. In addition to descriptive statistics and chi-square testing, a General Estimating Equation (GEE) was used to identify factors associated with appropriateness of therapy and the decision to refer, for each of the seven vignettes. Of the 240 pharmacists surveyed, 90 (37.5%) responded, yielding 630 responses to seven different case vignettes. There was more than 60% respondent support for expanded prescribing (rescheduling) of commonly prescribed antibiotics. Overall 426/630 (67.6%) chose to treat the patient while the remaining 204/630 (32.4%) referred the patient to a doctor. Of those electing to treat, 380/426 (89.2%) opt...Continue Reading
References
Aug 1, 1995·American Journal of Health-system Pharmacy : AJHP : Official Journal of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists·W A Zellmer
Feb 1, 1995·Social Science & Medicine·J F PendergastL C McKenzie
Sep 3, 1999·The Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy·D S ReevesM A Pringle
Mar 5, 2003·The Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy·A UptonH Heffernan
Jun 2, 2004·Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety·Francisco Caamaño IsornaAdolfo Figueiras
Jun 18, 2004·The Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy·T M A Weller, C E Jamieson
Sep 24, 2004·Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety·Francisco CaamañoJ J Gestal-Otero
Nov 21, 2007·Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics·A P TonnaD McCaig
May 6, 2009·British Medical Bulletin·Jeffrey K Aronson
Aug 5, 2010·Pharmacy World & Science : PWS·Kreshnik HotiRichard Parsons
Jun 29, 2012·International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy·Vibhu PaudyalDerek Stewart
Jul 28, 2012·Research in Social & Administrative Pharmacy : RSAP·Vibhu PaudyalDerek Stewart
Jan 1, 2012·Canadian Pharmacists Journal : CPJ = Revue Des Pharmaciens Du Canada : RPC·Michael R LawIngrid S Sketris
Apr 2, 2013·The British Journal of General Practice : the Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners·Jill L BoothElizabeth M McGovern
Nov 19, 2013·Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control·Angela HuttnerDidier Pittet
Sep 25, 2014·PloS One·Natalie J GauldStephen A Buetow
Jan 24, 2015·Health Expectations : an International Journal of Public Participation in Health Care and Health Policy·Andrew HaleLisa Nissen
Feb 14, 2015·Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice·Iman ZayeghKreshnik Hoti
Jun 5, 2015·Health Security·Michael E KlepserDonald G Klepser
Jan 19, 2016·Journal of Pharmacy Practice·Rebecca ResTheresa L Charrois
Dec 25, 2016·International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy·Natalie J GauldStephen A Buetow
May 1, 2015·International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology : IJCHP·Spencer C EvansGeoffrey M Reed