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Ann Biol Sci, 2017
ISSN: 2348-1927
August 23-24, 2017 | Toronto, Canada
Annual Conference on
MICROBIAL PATHOGENESIS, INFECTIOUS DISEASE,
ANTIMICROBIALS AND DRUG RESISTANCE
T
he objective of this study was to assess the perception
and self-reported practices of community pharmacists
towards antimicrobial stewardship. A cross-sectional study
was conducted among community pharmacists between
March-April, 2015, using a self-administered, pre-tested
questionnaire in the State of Selangor, Malaysia. A simple
random sampling approach was used to select pharmacy
sites. Descriptive and inferential statistical methods were
used to analyse the data. A total of 188 pharmacists
responded to the survey, giving a response rate of 83.5%.
The majority of participants (n=182, 96.8%) believed
that antimicrobial stewardship program helps healthcare
professionals to improve the quality of patient care. However,
more than half of pharmacists were neutral in their opinion
about the incorporation of antimicrobial stewardship
programs in community pharmacies (n=102, 54.2%). Though
collaboration was often done by pharmacists with other
health professionals over the use of antibiotics (n=104,
55.3%), a significant proportion of participants (n=102,
54.2%) rarely/occasionally participate in antimicrobial
awareness campaigns. Pharmacists having postgraduate
qualification were more likely to held positive perceptions
of, and were engaged in, antimicrobial stewardship than
their non-postgraduate counterpart (p<0.05). Similarly,
more experienced pharmacists (>10 years) held positive
perceptions towards antimicrobial stewardship (p<0.05).
The study highlighted some gaps in the perception and
practices of community pharmacist towards antimicrobial
stewardship. Development of customized interventions
would be critical to bridging these gaps and improve their
perception and practices towards antimicrobial stewardship.
e
:
Sameer.Dhingra@sta.uwi.eduPerceptions and practices of community pharmacists towards antimicrobial stewardship
Sameer Dhingra
The University of the West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago
Arch Clin Microbiol, 8:5
DOI: 10.4172/1989-8436-C1-003