Antibiotic prescribing patterns among dentists in Italy and Albania: A comparative questionnaire analysis

Autor: Eugenio Manciocchi, Edit Xhajanka, Gianmaria D'Addazio, Giuseppe Tafuri, Manlio Santilli, Imena Rexhepi, Sergio Caputi, Bruna Sinjari
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2024
Předmět:
Zdroj: Heliyon, Vol 10, Iss 13, Pp e33575- (2024)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2405-8440
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e33575
Popis: Objective: To investigate the therapeutic and prophylactic use of antibiotics in dentistry in two countries. Methods: This study used questionnaires to examine the prescribing habits of dentists in Italy (9th country in Europe for systemic antibiotic administration) and Albania an Extra European Union Country. A total of 1300 questionnaires were sent to Italian and Albanian dentists. Results: In total, 180 Italian and 180 Albanian dentists completed the questionnaire. Penicillin use was higher in Italy (96.6 %) than Albania (82.8 %). Only 26.1 % of Italian dentists and 32 % of Albanian dentists followed the national guidelines for antibiotic administration. Conclusions: Dentists tend to overprescribe antibiotics for treating existing conditions or as prophylaxis. They also highlighted a lack of adherence to established guidelines for antibiotic use. In addition, factors such as age, nationality, and sex appeared to influence the choice of antibiotics. Clinical significance: Recently, the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has become a global concern. The authors of this article highlight how dentists often prescribe antibiotics without a real need. Limiting the use of antibiotics in this category may help mitigate antibiotic resistance.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals