Skip to main content

Table 4 Review studies covering interventions to improve antibiotic use

From: Educational interventions to improve prescription and dispensing of antibiotics: a systematic review

Author (year)

Title of study

Study objectives

Inclusion criteria

Methods

Number of studies included

Review period

van der Velden (2012) [13]

Effectiveness of physician-targeted interventions to improve antibiotic use for respiratory tract infections

To assess the effectiveness of physician-targeted interventions aiming to improve antibiotic prescribing for respiratory tract infections in primary care, and to identify intervention features mostly contributing to intervention success.

Studies with an intervention primarily targeted at physicians in a primary care setting aiming to improve antibiotic prescribing for RTIs, conducted in a high-income country, presenting a standardized outcome of (first choice) prescription measured in defined daily dosage, prescription or rates.

Systematic review of studies published in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library. Quantitative analysis to assess the association between effectiveness rates and intervention features.

58

January 1990 through July 2009

Charani, E (2011) [12]

Behaviour Change Strategies to Influence Antimicrobial Prescribing in Acute Care: A Systematic Review

To assess the effectiveness of antimicrobial prescribing interventions that either alone or in combination, aim to influence behaviors in acute care.

Effective Practice and Organization of Care (EPOC) model was adapted to include additional criteria for review of uncontrolled studies. Studies were included only if they were conducted in countries defined as having a developed health care system.

Systematic review of studies published in MEDLINE, Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts (ASSIA), Business Source Complete, The Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, and the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness (DARE) and Health Management Information Consortium (HMIC)

10

January 1999 through April 2011

Tonkin-Crine, S (2011) [97]

Antibiotic prescribing for acute respiratory tract infections in primary care: a systematic review and meta-ethnography.

To evaluate general practitioners’ perceptions about antibiotic prescribing, and interventions aimed at prudent prescribing.

Studies that used qualitative methods and analysis.

Meta-synthesis of qualitative research examining GP attitudes and experiences of antibiotic prescribing, and interventions aimed at more prudent prescribing for ARTI.

12

1950-May 2011

Kaki, R (2011) [11]

Impact of antimicrobial stewardship in critical care: a systematic review.

To evaluate the evidence for antimicrobial stewardship interventions in the critical care unit.

Studies that evaluate the effectiveness of application of any intervention to improve antimicrobial utilization and within an intensive care setting, using a modified Cochrane Registry EPOC Database inclusion criteria.

Systematic review of studies published in OVID MEDLINE, Embase and Cochrane databases

24

January 1996 through December 2010

Boonacker, CWB (2010) [10]

Interventions in health care professionals to improve treatment in children with upper respiratory tract infections.

To analyze which strategies are used to promote evidence-based interventions in the management of children with URTI and assess the related effectiveness and costs.

Randomized controlled trials, non-randomized controlled trials and controlled before/after studies using implementation methods to change health care professionals’ attitudes to the treatment of children with URTI and investigate the effectiveness of implementation strategies.

Systematic review of studies published in Pubmed, Embase and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials.

17

Last search, February 2009

Steinman, MA (2006) [9]

Improving antibiotic selection. A systematic review and quantitative analysis of quality improvement strategies.

To assess which interventions are most effective in improving the prescribing of recommended antibiotics for acute outpatient infections.

Clinical trials with contemporaneous or strict historical controls that reported data on antibiotic selection in acute outpatient infections

Systematic review with quantitative analysis of the EPOC Database, supplemented by MEDLINE and hand-searches

24

Last search, November 2004