Antimicrobial use related problems and determinants in surgical ward of Ethiopian tertiary hospital

Antibiotic use related problems lead to the emergence of resistance, failure of therapy, morbidity, mortality, and unnecessary healthcare expenditure. However, little is known about antimicrobial use related problems in our setting particularly in hospitalized surgical patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate antibiotic use related problems and their determinants among hospitalized surgical patients. A prospective observational study was conducted from December 2018 to April 2019 at the surgical ward of the Ayder comprehensive specialized hospital, located in Northern Ethiopia. We included patients admitted to the surgical ward who were on antibiotic therapy or were candidates for antibiotic therapy/prophylaxis. The patients were recruited during admission and were followed daily until discharge. Data were collected through patient interviews and expert reviews of medical and medication records. The appropriateness of antibiotic use was evaluated according to the Infectious Disease Society of America, American Society of Health System Pharmacists, and World Health Organization guidelines. Subsequently, antibiotic use related problems were identified and classified based on Cipolle's method followed by consensus review with experts. Binary logistic regression was performed to identify the determinants of antibiotic use related problems. Statistical significance was set at p