Browsing by Author "Almutairi, Najla"

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Consultation skills and antimicrobial stewardship: a mixed-method study on the challenges of appropriate prescribing among health professionals for sore throat in the UK primary care
(University of Exeter, 2025) Almutairi, Najla; Alazzawi, Amad; Daniels, Rob
Background: Antimicrobial resistance poses a significant global health threat, driven in part by the overprescription of antibiotics for minor illnesses like sore throats. Sore throat is a common condition in primary care, which is usually self-limiting and low risk, but can rarely be associated with severe illness. Despite the availability of evidence-based guidelines, antibiotics are widely overprescribed in primary care. Aim: This study explores the experiences of healthcare providers managing sore throat to gain insight into the causes of overprescribing antibiotics and to assess potential interventions to improve prescribing practices in primary care. Design and setting: Online questionnaire surveying health care professionals in the UK primary care settings. Method: Self-reported online questionnaire-based research work using a mixed methods approach to explore the qualitative and quantitative findings. Quantitative data was analysed using Microsoft Excel, and thematic analysis was used to analyse qualitative data. Result: 23 participants answered the questionnaire. 48% of practitioners report prescribing antibiotics unnecessarily for sore throat due to patient pressure and diagnostic challenges. Non-physicians were more influenced by patient expectations. Diagnostic uncertainty and limited communication training hinder accurate decisions. Improving communication skills and using point-of-care testing are believed to be central to reducing overprescribing and supporting antimicrobial stewardship in primary care. Conclusion: This study highlights challenges healthcare professionals face in antibiotic prescribing for sore throat in UK primary care. The findings underscore the importance of shared decision-making and tailored communication strategies. Addressing these factors through targeted interventions and enhanced diagnostic support could improve antimicrobial stewardship and reduce overprescribing in primary care settings.
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Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the utilisation and quality of antibiotic use in the primary care settings in England: a population-based, segmented interrupted time series analysis
(Saudi Digital Library, 2023) Almutairi, Najla; Kurdi, Amanj
Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a public health threaten driven by inappropriate use of antibiotics. During covid-19 there were concerns of increased AMR, but the evidence is limited. this study assessed the impact of Covid-19 on the quantity and quality of antibiotic utilization in primary care in England. Research design and methods: A population-based segmented interrupted time series analysis was conducted to monthly dispensed antibiotics prescriptions using the prescription cost analysis (PCA) of England from March 2019 to March 2023. Antibiotic quantity was measured using the number of antibiotics items dispensed (TID)/1000 inhabitants and Defined Daily Dose (DDD)/1000 inhabitants/day. during and after the first and second lockdown (March 2020, Novembre 2020) stratified to 11 groups based on British National Formulary (BNF) antibiotics classification. While the quality of antibiotics was evaluated using 3 quality indicators: WHO AWaRe classification, and 4C antibiotics, and proportion of broad-spectrum antibiotics. Results: For all antibiotics, there was a non-significant increased TID Before the first lockdown but, non-significant decrease in the level after the first and second lockdown. However, a significant increase in the trend after the second lockdown for all antibiotic classes was observed, with an average increase of .56, and .315 for (DDD). For the quality outcomes, there were no impact of covid 19 on WHO AWaRe antibiotics classes (Access antibiotics increased from 77% in March 2019 to 86% in March2023) and broad-spectrum antibiotics. The proportion of 4C antibiotics decreased significantly after the first lockdown (β3 = -.886, p=.019). Conclusion: The study concludes that, Covid-19 has not significantly impacted the utilization of antibiotics. Also, the quality of the utilization remains unaffected. This study supports further investigation into the impact of remote consultation during Covid-19 and use detailed patient and prescription information. Keywords: Antibiotics, COVID-19, Antimicrobial stewardship, primary healthcare, England
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