Current Use of Antibiotics among Vietnamese People in the First Level of Healthcare System in Nam Dinh Province

Ngo Huy Hoang^1, , Joy Notter², Joy Hall², Malcom Hughes² and Hoang Thi Kim Huyen³

¹Nam Dinh University of Nursing, Ministry of Health of Vietnam

²Faculty of Health Birmingham City University

³Hanoi University of Pharmacy, Ministry of Health of Vietnam

Cite this paper:
Ngo Huy Hoang, Joy Notter, Joy Hall, Malcom Hughes and Hoang Thi Kim Huyen. Current Use of Antibiotics among Vietnamese People in the First Level of Healthcare System in Nam Dinh Province. American Journal of Public Health Research. 2019; 7(3):87-93. doi: 10.12691/ajphr-7-3-1

Abstract

In Vietnam, the national public healthcare services and statistics reveal problems with antibiotic use in the community with misunderstandings leading to the irrational and inappropriate use of these drugs resulting in bacterial resistance together with its consequences. There have been studies in Vietnam revealing a major problem in prescribing in the acute sector, but most antibiotics are prescribed in the community and there had been no studies exploring the situation in the community. This study was therefore an evaluation of the knowledge, skills and prescribing practice of those primarily responsible for administering antibiotics in the community, and was the first of its kind in Vietnam. The study used method triangulation to evaluate antibiotic use in the study location, a district in one province in North Vietnam. The district was chosen as it was typical of other rural areas in North Vietnam. The findings revealed a very high rate of antibiotic administration (79.8%) of which more than half (54%) were incorrectly prescribed for non-infectious conditions. Also, misunderstandings, limited knowledge and perceptions regarding the use of antibiotics, with staff having had little post basic training and education. It is further recommended that similar studies will be conducted along this line to verify the findings of the study.

Keywords:
antibiotic use and misuse commune level health workers prescribing

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