Ntibiotic utilization pattern at the ear, nose and throat directorate of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital

Abstract

Diseases of the ear, nose and throat (ENT) affect both adults and children. ENT diseases have severe consequences and greatly affect the quality of life of patients. Effective treatment of ENT infections is important to prevent severe infections which could lead to complications such as hearing loss. Rational prescription by ENT specialists is essential for effective treatment and the prevention of resistant strains of micro-organisms that cause these infections. The objective of this study was to assess the prescription pattern of antibiotics for ENT infections and to ascertain whether these prescriptions were guided by laboratory diagnosis. The study was conducted at the Outpatient department of ENT) Directorate of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) from April 3rd 2016 to May 3rd 2016. The prevalence of antibiotic prescription in this study was high with just a few patients undergoing laboratory diagnosis to inform prescription. Moreover, every single prescription assessed contained at least one antibiotic. Furthermore, all the antibiotics prescribed were indicated for the ENT infections