An information campaign--an important measure in controlling the use of antibiotics.
Denmark is one of the countries using the smallest quantity of antibiotics in proportion to its population. Nevertheless, the use of ampicillin and co-trimoxazole has been found to be undesirably high. An information campaign was carried out to reduce the ampicillin and co-trimoxazole usage and to increase the penicillin usage as a consequence. To evaluate the efficacy of the campaign 602 general practitioners participated in the study, and the antibiotic treatment of 7607 patients, treated in week 13 in 1987, was recorded. These prescriptions were compared with the prescriptions recorded in two previous but identical investigations in 1979 and in 1983. The prescribing habits had changed significantly after the information campaign, resulting in national savings of two million Danish kroner/million inhabitants/year. Information could be an important measure in controlling the worldwide use of antibiotics.
Friis
H
H
Department of Clinical Microbiology, Herlev Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
Bro
F
F
Mabeck
C E
CE
Vejlsgaard
R
R
D000667:Ampicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D003718:Denmark; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D004363:Drug Utilization; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D006801:Humans; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000667:Ampicillin; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination