Appropriateness of Antibiotic Prescribing for Acute Conjunctivitis: A Cross-Sectional Study at a Specialist Eye Hospital in Ghana, 2021

Paa Kwesi Fynn Hope (), Lutgarde Lynen, Baaba Mensah, Faustina Appiah, Edward Mberu Kamau, Jacklyne Ashubwe-Jalemba, Kwame Peprah Boaitey, Lady Asantewah Boamah Adomako, Sevak Alaverdyan, Benedicta L. Appiah-Thompson, Eva Kwarteng Amaning and Mathurin Youfegan Baanam
Additional contact information
Paa Kwesi Fynn Hope: Bishop Ackon Memorial Christian Eye Centre, Cape Coast P.O. Box AD 184, Ghana
Lutgarde Lynen: Institute of Tropical Medicine, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
Baaba Mensah: Bishop Ackon Memorial Christian Eye Centre, Cape Coast P.O. Box AD 184, Ghana
Faustina Appiah: Bishop Ackon Memorial Christian Eye Centre, Cape Coast P.O. Box AD 184, Ghana
Edward Mberu Kamau: UNICEF/UNDP/World Bank/WHO, The Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR), 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
Jacklyne Ashubwe-Jalemba: Medwise Solutions, KNH, P.O. Box 2356, Nairobi 00202, Kenya
Kwame Peprah Boaitey: Institute for Evidence-Based Healthcare, Bond University, Gold Coast, QLD 4226, Australia
Lady Asantewah Boamah Adomako: Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Water Research Institute, Accra P.O. Box M 32, Ghana
Sevak Alaverdyan: Tuberculosis Research and Prevention Center, Yerevan 0014, Armenia
Benedicta L. Appiah-Thompson: Bishop Ackon Memorial Christian Eye Centre, Cape Coast P.O. Box AD 184, Ghana
Eva Kwarteng Amaning: AngloGold Ashanti Ghana, Obuasi Mine, Obuasi P.O. Box 2665, Ghana
Mathurin Youfegan Baanam: Bishop Ackon Memorial Christian Eye Centre, Cape Coast P.O. Box AD 184, Ghana

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 18, 1-11

Abstract: Most presentations of conjunctivitis are acute. Studies show that uncomplicated cases resolve within 14 days without medication. However, antibiotic prescription remains standard practice. With antimicrobial resistance becoming a public health concern, we undertook this study to assess antibiotic prescription patterns in managing acute conjunctivitis in an eye hospital in Ghana. We recorded 3708 conjunctivitis cases; 201 were entered as acute conjunctivitis in the electronic medical records (January to December 2021). Of these, 44% were males, 56% were females, 39% were under 5 years, 21% were children and adolescents (5–17 years) and 40% were adults (≥18 years). A total of 111 (55.2%) patients received antibiotics, of which 71.2% were appropriately prescribed. The use of antibiotics was more frequent in children under 17 years compared to adults ( p < 0.0001). Of the prescribed antibiotics, 44% belonged to the AWaRe “Access” category (Gentamycin, Tetracycline ointment), while 56% received antibiotics in the “Watch” category (Ciprofloxacin, Tobramycin). Although most of the antibiotic prescribing were appropriate, the preponderance of use of the Watch category warrants stewardship to encompass topical antibiotics. The rational use of topical antibiotics in managing acute conjunctivitis will help prevent antimicrobial resistance, ensure effective health care delivery, and contain costs for patients and the health system.

Keywords: SORT IT; operational research; acute conjunctivitis; topical antibiotics; antimicrobial resistance; Ghana; AWaRe; West Africa; eye care (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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