The impact of policy guidelines on hospital antibiotic use over a decade: a segmented time series analysis

Antibiotic pressure contributes to rising antibiotic resistance. Policy guidelines encourage rational prescribing behavior, but effectiveness in containing antibiotic use needs further assessment. This study therefore assessed the patterns of antibiotic use over a decade and analyzed the impact of different modes of guideline development and dissemination on inpatient antibiotic use. Antibiotic use was calculated monthly as defined daily doses (DDD) per 100 bed days for nine antibiotic groups and overall. This time series compared trends in antibiotic use in five adjacent time periods identified as 'Segments,' divided based on differing modes of guideline development and implementation: Segment 1--Baseline prior to antibiotic guidelines development; Segment 2--During preparation of guidelines and booklet dissemination; Segment 3--Dormant period with no guidelines dissemination; Segment 4--Booklet dissemination of revised guidelines; Segment 5--Booklet dissemination of revised guidelines with intranet access. Regression analysis adapted for segmented time series and adjusted for seasonality assessed changes in antibiotic use trend. Overall antibiotic use increased at a monthly rate of 0.95 (SE = 0.18), 0.21 (SE = 0.08) and 0.31 (SE = 0.06) for Segments 1, 2 and 3, stabilized in Segment 4 (0.05; SE = 0.10) and declined in Segment 5 (-0.37; SE = 0.11). Segments 1, 2 and 4 exhibited seasonal fluctuations. Pairwise segmented regression adjusted for seasonality revealed a significant drop in monthly antibiotic use of 0.401 (SE = 0.089; p