Discussion
forgetfulness, respiratory infection
RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS, PENICILLINS, RESPIRATORY INFECTION, UTI
In the current study, the impact of the pharmaceutical care intervention on antibiotic short-term adherence was evaluated and the utilization of oral antibiotics was assessed among outpatients in a tertiary referral hospital in Jordan. This study showed that respiratory infection was the main indication for antibiotics prescription followed by UTI. In a study in Canada, UTI was the main indication for antibiotic prescriptions followed by prescriptions for respiratory infections [Penicillins were the most prescribed antibiotics followed by fluoroquinolones then cephalosporins. A study in Pakistan reported that cephalosporins were the most frequently prescribed class of antibiotics [The study results also showed that pharmaceutical care intervention had a positive impact on antibiotics adherence (OR 1.44), considering other concomitant variables. Previous studies revealed that patients who received educational intervention were more adherent [Also consistent with previous studies, the most common reasons for non-adherence were feeling better and forgetfulness to take medication [The current study has few limitations. First, 3.8% (n = 23/612) of the participants dropped out from the study period mainly due to changes in the participants’ contact numbers. Second, adherence was self-reported which could be associated with recall bias. To minimize this limitation, adherence was measured two days immediately after the completion of the short-term antibiotic course. Social desirability, another bias associated with the self-reported adherence has been diminished by the presence of intervention and control groups.