ATTITUDES, PRACTICES AND KNOWLEDGE OF HONDURAN PHYSICIANS IN THE PRESCRIPTION OF ANTIBIOTICS IN COVID-19

INTRO: Antimicrobial resistance has been considered a global health problem, being one of the 10 most important public health problems worldwide. During the COVID-19 pandemic, a large number of antibiotics were used without any control, both on an outpatient basis and in hospitalization, which can have serious consequences. METHODS: Prior informed consent, a cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with a sample of 322 physicians. A survey was carried out in Google forms, and it was shared by telephone messages and social networks. FINDINGS: 322 physicians, 60.9% women and 39.1% men, mean age 33.4 years, 85.9% general practitioners, 11.5% specialist physicians. 47.2% work in private institutions, 36% in public centers. Antibiotic policies in institutions: 50.3% do not have regulations for the use of antibiotics in COVID-19, only 29.5% work with policies to control the use of antibiotics and control measures against antibiotic resistance, 73.9% lack a committee for infection control and prevention of antibiotic resistance. Use of antibiotics: only 20.8% never used antibiotics in COVID-19, 45.6% used antibiotics in severe COVID-19, 40.4% hospitalized patients, and 33.5% outpatients. The most used antibiotics were azithromycin (67.1%), levofloxacin (53.4%), ceftriaxone (53.4%), and amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid (34.8%). 43.2% consider that using antibiotics can reduce mortality in moderate and severe COVID-19, 50.3% believe antibiotics should be suspended if there is clinical improvement, 96.3% believe there is an increase in self-medication of antibiotics, 59.8% consider that they used antibiotics inconrrectly at some point, 58.1% consider antibiotic resistance to be a problem in their workplace. 86.3% currently make less use of antibiotics in patients with COVID-19. CONCLUSION: In Honduras, there are deficiencies in policies for the use of antibiotics and control of antimicrobial resistance. Most doctors consider that they have used antibiotics incorrectly, including antibiotics that can generate resistance.