Assessing Antibiotic Prescribing Patterns in Private Outpatient Settings: A WHO AWaRe Classification Analysis in a Jeddah Polyclinic
Background: Antibiotic resistance, a global concern, is exacerbated by misuse. However, understanding antibiotic prescription patterns in outpatient settings for privately insured patients in Saudi Arabia remains limited. This study examines such patterns using the WHO AWaRe classification to assess antibiotic prescribing patterns in private outpatient settings.
Methods: Over nine months (January to September 2023), 396 antibiotic prescriptions from pharmacy records were retrospectively analysed from outpatient clinics and the emergency department of a Jeddah polyclinic. WHO AWaRe classification guided the assessment.
Results: Among the prescriptions, 54% fell under the Watch category, while 45% were in the Access category. Certain departments predominantly prescribed Watch category antibiotics, chi- squared test reveals a highly significant association (P < 0.001) between medical specialties and antibiotic categories. Logistic regression analysis shows that if the case is URTIs and UTIs physicians are significantly more likely to prescribed Watch category antibiotics 7.2 (0.67-14.27) <.001, 4.8 (2.1-11.1) <.001. Commonly prescribed antibiotics included Amoxicillin/Clavulanic Acid (31%) and Azithromycin (17%). Overall, a recurring trend emerged, indicating a higher percentage of Watch category prescriptions across specialties compared to the Access category.
Conclusions: The study reveals a prevalent use of antibiotics in the Watch category, highlighting the need for monitoring and regulating outpatient antibiotic prescriptions. Understanding specialty- specific prescribing patterns can inform targeted interventions to promote judicious antibiotic use and curb the escalating threat of antibiotic resistance
