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An Investigation of Antibiotic Prescribing in Patients with Upper Respiratory Tract Infections (Urtis) at Katutura Health Centre, Windhoek, Namibia

Mwape Kunda, Lischen Haoses-Gorases and Marcus Goraseb

Upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) are of viral cause in 80% of cases and they constitute a major part of the primary health care practitioners’ workload with antibiotics commonly prescribed for these illnesses. The aim of this study was to explore antibiotic prescribing in patients with URTIs at Katutura Health Centre, Namibia. A descriptive, cross sectional, quantitative design based on patients’ prescriptions was used. Data were analyzed using Epi info statistical package version 7.1.1.14. The rate of antibiotic prescribing for patients with URTIs at Katutura Health Centre (KHC) was 78% (95% CI, 74%-82%). Further bivariate analyses of antibiotic prescribing (Response variable) and illness, age, gender and profession (exposure variables) showed that age and illness were significantly associated with antibiotic prescribing (p<0.05) while gender and profession rank were not. In conclusion, the Ministry of Health and Social Services need to develop or adopt international strategies have proven efficacy in reducing antibiotic prescribing in URTIs