Factors Influencing Patterns of Antibiotic Prescribing in Primary Health Care Centers in the Savodjbolaq District During 2012-13: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background and Objective: Inappropriate prescribing of antibiotics is one of the main reasons for antibiotic resistance in the world which has an increasing pressure and cost on health system and also household economy. The present study aimed to determine the pattern of antibiotic prescribing and related it,s factors in health centers. Materials and Methods: In a cross-sectional design, 1068 random prescriptions of General Physicians (GPs) who work in Savodjbolaq Health Centers were studied. Variables included age, gender of patients and physicians, frequency of antibiotic prescribing, rate of combination therapy, methods of prescribing, type of patient’s insurance booklet and seasons. Statistical analysis was performed by SPSS version 18 software. Results: More than half of prescriptions (56.8%) included at least one antibiotics. One in every four prescriptions had some sort of antibiotic combination therapy. According to the scientific criteria, 57.1% of antibiotics were prescribed inappropriately. among these criteria, the highest error belongs to doses per day with 67.72%. Frequency of antibiotic prescribing based on age, gender, type of patient’s insurance booklet, physicians experience, different seasons was significantly different (p