%0 Journal Article %J Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Community Medicine %D 2021 %T Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Related to Antibiotic Use Among Community and Hospital Pharmacists in Galle District, Sri Lanka %A Meenu Amarasinghe %A Ha Nguyen Viet %A Shukry Zawahir %K Antibiotics %K Attitudes %K Community Pharmacists %K Knowledge %K Practices %K Sri Lanka %X

Background: Pharmacists’ knowledge about and attitudes towards antibiotic impact on appropriate antibiotic supply. However, this information is lacking in Sri Lanka. Purpose: To evaluate the knowledge, attitudes and practice of antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance (AR) among community pharmacists and hospital pharmacists in Galle District, Sri Lanka. Methods: A cross-sectional study using a self-administered questionnaire was conducted to assess their knowledge about antibiotic use and causes of AR, attitudes towards antibiotic use and dispensing practice. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: Ninety percent of the pharmacists (n=90/100) responded, comprising community pharmacists (n=43) with efficiency qualifications and hospital pharmacists with proficiency (n=45) or B.Pharm (n=2) qualifications. The hospital pharmacists' knowledge about consequences of inappropriate antibiotic use, ineffective treatment (100%) and AR (100%), were significantly higher than community pharmacists’ knowledge (91% and 86%; P=0.048 and 0.010, respectively). The knowledge about AR reasons, for example, antibiotic use for non-bacterial infections, was also significantly higher in hospital pharmacists (92%) than community pharmacists (74%), P=0.030. 84% of respondents had positive responses on all attitude statements. Most of the participants (98%) denied non-prescription antibiotic supply. Overall, greater knowledge about antibiotic use increased the likelihood of higher knowledge about AR (Adj. OR=3.94; 95% CI: 1.57-9.88; P=0.003) and positive attitude towards it (Adj. OR=3.71; 95%CI: 1.54-8.92; P=0.003). Conclusion: Extent of pharmacy qualification could impact the pharmacists’ antibiotic use and AR knowledge. Raising pharmacists' knowledge about antibiotic use may enhance their AR knowledge and attitudes towards it.

%B Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Community Medicine %V 7 %P 1-8 %8 April 2021 %G eng %N 1 %9 Research Article %& 1 %R 10.5530/jppcm.2021.1.1 %0 Journal Article %J Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Community Medicine %D 2021 %T Probiotics and its Impact on Antibiotic-associated Diarrhea (AAD) and Clostridum difficile Infections (CDI) in Adult and Pediatric Patients: A Review %A Raja Chakraverty %A Sudeshna Sasmal %K Antibiotic-associated diarrhea %K Antibiotics %K Bifidobacterium %K Clostridum difficile infections %K Lactobacillus %K probiotics %K Saccharomyces. %X

A common adverse effect of antibiotic use is diarrhea. Probiotics are living micro-organisms, which may prevent antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) by the normalization of an unbalanced gastrointestinal flora. The objective of this review was to assess the benefits and harms of probiotics used for the prevention of AAD in patients based on literature findings. Thus review of the literature using bibliographic databases and abstracting systems such as PubMed (1978- 2020) and Cochrane was conducted to find the effects of probiotics and compare AAD and CDI in both pediatric and adult populations and determine significant differences and similarities that might impact clinical decisions. In general, pediatric AAD and CDI have a more rapid onset of symptoms, a shorter duration of disease and fewer CDI complications (required surgeries and extended hospitalizations) than in adults. Literature studied revealed the finding that suggests that probiotic use in both adult and populations may be beneficial in the prevention of AAD among patients. Furthermore, the use of probiotics appears to be safe. The narrative review adds value to the current knowledge owing to the fact that adult and pediatric differences of AAD and CDi have not been studied in many review focusing on current evidence before ours. The differences in treatment modality across age groups should be taken into account when rating severity of disease and prescribing antibiotics. However, any differences should be taken into account when rating severity of disease and prescribing.

%B Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Community Medicine %V 7 %P 46-48 %8 December 2021 %G eng %N 3 %9 Review article %& 46 %R 10.5530/jppcm.2021.3.12