Healthcare workers’ perceptions of antibiotics use during
COVID-19 pandemic and trainings in antibiotics prescription
The most used antibiotics were Azithromycin (87.7%), Ceftriaxone
(34.6%) and Moxifloxacin (18.2%) and the least prescribed were
Gentamycin (1%) and Metronidazole (3.4%). The main route of
administration was orally (87%) followed by intravenously (63.2%). The
course of antibiotics administration was between 5 to 7 days (55%).
Vitamin C (91.5%) and Zinc (89.1%) were widely used as second line
treatments in COVID-19 patients (Table IV ).
A significant association was identified between healthcare workers
occupation and stewardship training, perception of antibiotic use during
the early phase of the pandemic, antibiotics request by patients and the
effect of antibiotic prescription on the emergence of new strains
(Table V ). Stewardship training was significantly more observed
among nurses (23.4%) than physicians (8.3%). Moreover, pharmacists
(51.1%) believed significantly, more than physicians (27.5%), that the
use of antibiotics will affect the emergence of new strains. Healthcare
occupation did not affect the other perceptions (Table V ).
When determining the effect of antibiotics training on healthcare
workers perception regarding antibiotics use, an increase in healthcare
workers knowledge regarding the unnecessary use of antibiotics and
influence on drug resistance was observed. Additionally, data in this
study revealed a significant association with healthcare belief that
antibiotic prescription would increase mortality (Table V I).