Controlled Trial to Evaluate a Local Information Campaign on Antibiotic Prescribing in Italy

Summary

Use of information campaigns and educational interventions directed to citizens and supported by physicians, aimed at promoting the appropriate use of medicines, have been evaluated by several studies with conflicting results. These interventions are potentially relevant, favouring the reduction of unnecessary use of medicines and related risks. Several studies have specifically evaluated the promotion of the appropriate use of antibiotics in adults and children, with variable results. A controlled study has been proposed to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a multifaceted intervention aimed at reducing antibiotic prescription by increasing awareness on risks of their unnecessary use.

Information has been provided to citizens through several media (posters, local TV, radio and newspapers, video terminals, websites of Local Health Authorities). Brochures with information on expected benefits and risks of antibiotics has also been available, either with direct access in waiting rooms and pharmacies or handed out and mediated by doctors. Physicians and pharmacists received specific data on local antibiotic resistance. A small group of representative doctors have also actively participated in defining the campaign key messages. A sample of general practitioners and paediatricians have been trained in patient counselling strategies.

The information campaign has been implemented in two Provinces of Emilia-Romagna during the fall-winter season (November 2011-February 2012). Change in the overall prescribing rate of antibiotics (expressed as DDD per 1000 inhabitants/day) in the intervention area will be compared versus other areas in the same Region. Knowledge and attitudes of the general population will be evaluated through a phone and internet survey on a representative sample.

This study could observe a reduction lower than 5% in the prescribing rate of antibiotics.

Conditions

• Upper Respiratory Tract Infections

Interventions

OTHER

Multifaceted information campaign

Following is the description of the multifaceted intervention: * brochures targeted at the general population and available in general practices, pharmacies, local health services and on the web (also translated in eight languages) * posters (same distribution as brochures) * short videos transmitted in local TVs, websites of Local Health Authorities and in video terminals in some pharmacies * radio-spots transmitted in local radio stations * advertisements in local newspapers * banners on websites of local newspapers * newsletter on antibiotic resistance in Emilia- Romagna, available to physicians and pharmacists * training courses in counselling strategies, directed to a subgroup of GPs and paediatricians

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Local Health Authority, Parma

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Local Health Authority, Modena

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Change Institute, Turin

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Regional Health and Social Care Agency, Italy

  lead OTHER_GOV

Principal Investigators

• Giulio Formoso, MPH, MPharm · Regional Health and Social Care Agency, Emilia Romagna Region (Italy)

Study Design

Allocation

NON_RANDOMIZED

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2011-11-30

Primary Completion

2012-03-31

Completion

2012-03-31

Countries

• Italy

Study Locations