General practitioners’ knowledge, attitudes and practices on antibiotic prescribing for acute respiratory infections in children in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo

Abstract

Objective: To assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices declared among general practitioners (GPs) concerning the use of antibiotics for the treatment of ARI in children under 5 years in Lubumbashi. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted to assess the level of knowledge, attitude and practices concerning antibiotic prescribing among 67 GPs working in the pediatric setting in various health structures in Lubumbashi city, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Data were collected from April 1st to June 30th, 2020. Results: GPs had limited knowledge about antibiotic prescriptions (mean of 46% correct answers to 8 questions). Although they are generally concerned about antibiotic resistance (mean ± SD = 0.50 ± 0.68), and are unwilling to submit to pressure to prescribe antibiotics to meet patient demands and expectations (mean ± SD = –1.78 ± 0.31) and the requirements to prescribe antibiotics for fear of losing patients (mean ± SD = –1.67 ± 0.47), there was a lack of motivation to change prescribing practices (mean ± SD = −0.37 ± 0.94) and strong agreement that they themselves should take responsibility for tackling antibiotic resistance (mean ± SD = 1.24 ± 0.74). Multiple linear regression results showed that higher knowledge scores were associated with less avoidance of responsibility when prescribing antibiotics (β = 0.919; p = 0.000). Conclusion: To curb the over-prescription of antibiotics, it is not enough to improve knowledge in itself. The lack of motivation of physicians to change must be addressed through a systematic approach. These data show the need for interventions that support the rational prescribing of antibiotics.

Changes in the Prescription of Antibiotics and Phytopharmaceuticals in Children Treated for Acute Upper and Lower Respiratory Tract Infections in Pediatric Practices in Germany in 2013, 2018, and 2022

“…Similar findings were obtained using the data from 89,800 children with respiratory tract infections followed in general practices in Spain, with between 16% and 75% of them being prescribed antibiotics [10]. The high prevalence of antibiotic use for pediatric respiratory tract infections likely results from multiple phenomena, such as healthcare providers trying to meet the expectations of parents [11], being pressured by parents [12], or having limited knowledge about the prescription of antibiotics in this specific context [13]. There is strong evidence showing that the prescription of antibiotic drugs is not associated with shortened duration of respiratory symptoms and does not decrease the risk of complications in children [14].…”