Abstract
The inappropriate use of antibiotics especially regarding respiratory tract infection has
been a global concern over the years. The inappropriate use has culminated to development of
resistant microbes, which leads to widespread outbreaks of bacterial infections, poor prognosis
and increased health cost among other consequences. This study seeks to conduct an audit on the
current trend of antibiotic use in the primary health care setting using respiratory tract infections
as the backbone of the study.
The study seeks to determine the trend by finding out the
compliance level to NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) and PHE (Public
Health England) guidelines on the prescription in the treatment of respiratory tract infections.
The trend will also be determined by identifying the most common antibiotics that are prescribed
inappropriately regarding the management of respiratory tract infections. Finally, the trend will
be determined by identifying the key determinants for noncompliance to NICE and PHE
guidelines.
The design of the study is cross-sectional utilizing retrospective patient information,
pharmaceutical records and interviewing general practitioners and nurse practitioners. The
retrospective patient data includes patient’s presenting complaints, and the treatment modalities
offered at the primary healthcare setting by a practitioner. The pharmaceutical records are
comprised of policies and documentation records regarding antibiotics use at the institutional
level. The interview will seek to probe for the non-compliance determinants from the practitioner
perspective. The retrospective data and pharmaceutical records will be collected using datasheets
while the interview will be conducted using a structured questionnaire. Data analysis will be
done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 software. Data presentation
will include narrative description, graphs, and tables. The dissemination of the finding will
include presentation at medical conferences and publication on the online peer reviewed
journals. Copies of the project will also be donated to participating hospital and medical school
libraries. Ethical consideration will be fostered during the entire research process by maintaining
confidentiality and seeking consent from relevant bodies and individuals.
The findings of this study will have a positive impact of the provision of primary health
care, growth of health professional knowledge and formulation of relevant policies and
regulations. The finding on determination of the compliance level will provide a platform for
evaluating the success of the NICE and PHE guidelines and prompt formulation of improvement
strategies. The findings on the most common drugs that are prescribed inappropriately will
prompt the policy makers to device strategies of controlling their use. The findings on the most
common inappropriately prescribed drugs can also form a knowledge base for public awareness,
study variables for future studies, and source of information for policymakers. The key
