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Antibiotic prescribing in older people and trends on movement into institutional care: a record linkage study.
Safe People
Queen's University Belfast
Academic Institute
Dermot O'Reilly
Safe Projects
E013
A recent editorial in JAMA Internal Medicine indicated that antimicrobial prescribing in care homes is seen as a global problem, contributing to increasing resistance. In this context, it is concerning that a recent European survey showed that nursing homes in Northern Ireland rank the third highest in terms of antibiotic prescribing in Europe. Not only was the proportion of individuals on an antibiotic high in NI, but data from the same study showed that a large number of antibiotics were given prophylactically with no review or end date. This raises concerns about the quality of prescribing in care homes. This study will provide empirical evidence about: 1) the respective prevalence and quality of prescribing of antibiotics to individuals aged 65 years and over in the community and care homes, by type of care home; previous studies have focused on nursing homes; 2) the likelihood of being prescribed an antibiotic adjusting for other factors, including co-morbidities, and quantification of how much of the variation can be attributed to GP practices or care homes and; 3) the change in prevalence and quality of antibiotic prescribing on entry to a care home. The required data set will be entirely anonymous and will not contain patient’s name, address or DOB, the GP Practice and care home will also be encrypted. This data set will not be used to contact either patients, practices or care homes.
This study will provide empirical evidence about: 1) the respective prevalence and quality of prescribing of antibiotics to individuals aged 65 years and over in the community and care homes, by type of care home; previous studies have focused on nursing homes; 2) the likelihood of being prescribed an antibiotic adjusting for other factors, including co-morbidities, and quantification of how much of the variation can be attributed to GP practices or care homes and; 3) the change in prevalence and quality of antibiotic prescribing on entry to a care home.
06/11/2015
Safe Data
Safe Setting
TRE