title: [Antimicrobial prescription in family health units in Southern Brazil].
abstract: This paper describes antimicrobial prescription, clinical indications, and seasonal characteristics in primary health care. We performed a cross-sectional study in family health units in Bagé, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, in July 2005 and January 2006. All medical prescriptions (n = 2,877) were analyzed, and the prevalence rates for antimicrobial prescription in winter and summer were 30.4% (95%CI: 28.5-32.4) and 21% (95%CI: 19.1-22.9), respectively. The most frequently prescribed antimicrobials were amoxicillin and sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim. The main clinical indications for antimicrobial prescription were non-specific upper respiratory tract infections (22.5%), throat infections (20.8%), urinary tract infections (13.3%), otitis (8.5%), and sinusitis (7.5%). We observed differences between summer and winter in prescriptions for the same diseases. Seasonal differences between treatment profiles for the same diseases show the absence of a consistent antimicrobial prescription pattern in primary health care, contrary to World Health Organization guidelines, which advocate the establishment of protocols for antimicrobial use at all levels of care, as a strategy to prevent inadequate usage and the occurrence of strains that are resistant to available antimicrobials.
authors: Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Rio Grande, Brasil. noemiatavares@terra.com.br
authors: Noemia U L
authors: NU
authors: Tavares
authors: Andréa D
authors: AD
authors: Bertoldi
authors: Ana Luiza
authors: AL
authors: Muccillo-Baisch
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001938:Brazil; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005192:Family Health; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008875:Middle Aged; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012621:Seasons; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents