Background: Antimicrobial drugs are the most frequently prescribed drugs in hospital settings with intensive care unit (ICU) patients showing the highest consumption of these drugs. Antimicrobial overuse and misuse is attributed to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). AMR in coming years will emerge as a global pandemic, maiming the modern health-care system. High consumption of antimicrobial drugs is one of leading factors contributing to AMR. Aims and Objectives: This study aimed at evaluating the prescription pattern of antimicrobial drugs in ICU and estimates the burden of inappropriate antimicrobial drug utilization in ICU settings of a tertiary level teaching hospital. Materials and Methods: The current study was conducted on 100 patients over a period of 6 months, admitted in surgical ICU (SICU), and neuro SICU (NICU) of a tertiary level hospital in Jammu and Kashmir, India. Study patients were identified through daily review of pharmacy records and antimicrobial drugs prescribed for the initial 5 days of ICU admission were documented in a well-designed questionnaire consisting all the necessary information regarding antibiotic therapy. Results: Out of the 100 enrolled study subjects, 98% received an empiric therapy. Majority of the patients were given a combination antimicrobial therapy during the initial 5 days of ICU admission. The most common antibiotic prescribed as monotherapy was ceftriaxone during the initial 2 days of ICU stay followed by piperacillin-tazobactam and meropenem in the next 3 days. Amikacin was the most frequently prescribed antibiotic in combination therapy during first 2 days followed by vancomycin in the consecutive days. A total of 27 antimicrobial drugs belonging to 15 classes were prescribed to the study participants during the initial 5 days of ICU admission. Conclusion: The study reports a very high consumption of antimicrobial drugs in ICUs with maximum of antimicrobial therapies prescribed empirically. A robust action plan, consisting of proper protocol for prescribing empiric antimicrobials, regular monitoring of antibiotic consumption in ICUs with a system of prospective audit, and feedback and timely interventions are a keystone of good antibiotic stewardship and should be the focus in ICU and NICU.

Background: Millions of people have been impacted by COVID-19 pandemic globally. COVID-19 pandemic has descended people to the realms of uncertainty and isolation which surprisingly are associated with mental distress. Depression, anxiety and stress are one of the prominent psychological factors that might have been significantly impacted by the ongoing pandemic. Aims and Objectives: The present study was conducted predominantly with the aim of assessing psychological impact by COVID-19 in health-care professionals (HCPs) as well as in general population. Materials and Methods: The present study was an observational study conducted in Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Soura, a tertiary level teaching hospital in Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India. A total of 250 participants comprising both HCPs and general population were included in the study. Depression, anxiety, stress-scale-21 questionnaire, a validated instrument, was used to assess the depression, anxiety, and stress levels among the participants. Informed consent was taken individually for volunteering in the study and participants were required to fill the questionnaire as per the directed instructions. Results: Out of 250 participants, 54.8%, 68%, and 34.4% were found to have depression, anxiety, and stress, respectively. The prevalence of severe and extremely severe depression corresponded to 9.9% and 6.8% of HCPs, respectively. Severe and extremely severe anxiety existed in 14.9% and 21.1% of HCPs, respectively, followed by 7.5% and 1.2% severe stress and extremely severe stress percentages. About 11.2% and 7.9% participants in community experienced severe and extremely severe depression, respectively. Although 19.1% and 21.3% values corresponded to severe and extremely severe anxiety in community, 5% participants were found to have severe stress, and 4 % had extremely severe stress. A significant positive correlation existed between the levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. No statistically significant association was found between DAS scores and demographic variables except anxiety scores which showed a statistically significant association with HCPs especially nurses, students, and doctors. Conclusion: The findings from this study highlight high prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress experienced during COVID-19 pandemic by all participants. Anxiety in comparison to depression and stress was found to be experienced by majority of participants. Anxiety levels were prominent in nurses, students, and doctors among HCPs.