Assessment of antimicrobial resistance risks due to physician and patient practices: An observational study

Purpose: To assess the risk factors for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) by examining physician antibiotic prescribing patterns, and patient adherence. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted across two sites. The study involved two components: physician-focused assessment of inappropriate antibiotic prescribing and patient-focused assessment of antibiotic adherence. Data were collected from patient records and structured forms, and were analyzed using descriptive statistics, with chi-square tests for categorical data. Statistical significance was defined as p < 0.05. Results: The physician-focused study revealed that 40.49 % of antibiotic prescriptions had no indication, and 23.93 % involved drug-drug interactions. The risk of AMR due to inappropriate prescribing was 47.75 %, which decreased to 28.83 % following pharmacist intervention (χ² = 147.61, p < 0.001). In the patient-focused study, 19.52 % of patients were non-adherent to prescribed antibiotics, contributing to an equivalent risk of AMR. A total of 72.67 % of the patients were male, with a mean age of 50.43 years. Most patients (97.5 %) lacked knowledge about AMR. Conclusion: Inappropriate antibiotic prescribing and patient non-adherence are significant contributors to the development of AMR. Interventions by pharmacists significantly reduce the risk of AMR. The study highlights the need for improved antibiotic stewardship, patient education, and adherence to treatment guidelines to mitigate AMR risk. Locally developed guidelines and shorter antibiotic courses may also help address this growing concern.