Respiratory tract infections in Greenland: results of an audit project.
OBJECTIVE
To elucidate and improve quality of diagnosis and treatment of respiratory tract infections in Greenland.


METHODS
All district medical officers and nursing staff in the Greenlandic coastal health services were invited to participate in the study. Twenty-five district medical officers and the nursing staff from nine districts completed the project and registered in a 3-week period 1,163 contacts involving respiratory tract infections.


METHODS
Self-registration according to the Audit Project Odense (APO) method on a simple APO registration chart. All contacts involving respiratory tract infections were registered with regard to sex, type of contact, contact form, infection focus, diagnosis and treatment, origin of infection, antibiotic treatment, choice of antibiotics and possible sick-leave.


RESULTS
Of the 1,163 registered contacts lung infections represented 26%, throat infections 22% and otitis media 16%. Paraclinical tests were performed in 32% of the cases, 47% of the cases were treated with antibiotics, in 2/3 of the cases with penicillin V. The use of paraclinical tests was somewhat lower and the use of antibiotics was higher than in Denmark.


CONCLUSIONS
The study showed that it is possible to carry out an APO audit in Greenland, and that there was a moderate difference in the diagnosis and treatment between Greenland and Denmark. An increased use of paraclinical tests may result in quality improvement.
Gahm-Hansen
Bente
B
Department of Clinical Microbiology, Odense University Hospital, Denmark. b.gahrn-hansen@ouh.fyns-amt.dk
Aaen-Larsen
Birger
B
Mosgaard
Lars
L
Damsgaard
Jens
J
Munck
Anders
A
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006116:Greenland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008485:Medical Audit; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents