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Section 4: Clinical pharmacy services
4CPS-044 Patients’ perceptions of healthcare associated-infections and use of antibiotics in a surgical context
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  1. AM Dohou1,2,
  2. DA Fiogbe1,2,
  3. FMD Dossou2,3,
  4. O Dalleur1,4
  1. 1Louvain Drug Research Institute (LDRI), Universite Catholique de Louvain, Clinical Pharmacy Research Group (CLIP), Brussels, Belgium
  2. 2Université d’Abomey Calavi (UAC), Faculté des Sciences de la Santé (FSS), Cotonou, Benin
  3. 3Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Départemental Ouémé Plateau, Chirurgie, Porto-Novo, Benin
  4. 4Clinique Universitaire Saint-Luc, Université Catholique de Louvain, Pharmacy, Brussels, Belgium

Abstract

Background and importance Surgical patients are exposed to infections, especially surgical site infections, which is a burden for public health. To prevent and cure these infections, surgical teams and patients refer to antimicrobials whose inappropriate use leads to an increase in antimicrobial resistance.

Aim and objectives We interviewed some patients who had undergone surgery to explore their perceptions of healthcare-associated infections and antibiotic use.

Material and methods Data were collected by two socio-anthropologists over a period of 2 months in 2019 using semistructured individual interviews. Patients in the digestive and obstetric wards of two hospitals were included. Data analysis was performed by three pharmacists using content analysis. Coding was realised in pairs and in-depth analysis.

Results Thirty patients were interviewed. The knowledge of healthcare-associated infections by patients was variable. Some of them knew that they can contract an infection in hospital, others did not. The majority of the patients, whether they were educated or not, attested that antibiotics are used for avoiding the suppuration of surgical wounds, cicatrising or healing of wounds. Others argued that antibiotics fortify them after surgery. Moreover, antibiotics utilisation without healthcare workers’ prescription was spread in our patients. The patients interviewed did not have any appropriate knowledge about the relation between irrational use of antibiotics and the occurrence of antimicrobial resistance. Moreover, communication about patients’ care was poor in view of our interviewees’ declarations.

Conclusion and relevance Patients’ perception of the role of antibiotics in general or in surgical use is imprecise, and is related to their perception of infections associated with care. It is therefore essential to strengthen a clear dialogue between healthcare professionals and patients in relation to care.

References and/or acknowledgements We thank the ‘Académie de Recherche et d’Enseignement Supérieur’ (ARES) for funding this work.

Conflict of interest No conflict of interest

http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/ejhpharm-2022-eahp.89

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