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Özcebe H, Üner S, Karadag O, Daryani A, Gershuni O, Czabanowska K, Brand H, Erdsiek F, Aksakal T, Brzoska P. Perspectives of physicians and pharmacists on rational use of antibiotics in Turkey and among Turkish migrants in Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands: a qualitative study. BMC PRIMARY CARE 2022; 23:29. [PMID: 35168554 PMCID: PMC8848838 DOI: 10.1186/s12875-022-01636-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Background Antimicrobial resistance may result from inappropriate use of antibiotics in health care. Turkey is one of the countries with the highest antibiotic consumption in the world. Considering the role of transnational ties between Turkish migrants and their social contacts in Turkey, the attitudes and behaviors relating to rational antibiotic use in Turkey can also affect the use of antibiotics by Turkish migrants residing abroad. This study explores physicians’ and pharmacists’ experiences and perspectives on rational antibiotic use among Turkish adults in Turkey and among Turkish migrants in Germany, Sweden, and the Netherlands, three European countries with large populations of Turkish migrants. Methods Following a qualitative study design using convenience and snowball sampling, in-depth interviews with 21 family physicians and 24 pharmacists were conducted in the aforementioned countries. We transcribed all interviews verbatim and performed content analysis separately in the countries, followed by translation, pooling and joint interpretation of the findings. Results Physicians and pharmacists encountered irrational use of antibiotics among their patients in Turkey. Physicians interviewed in the three European countries explained that Turkish migrants differ from non-migrants with respect to their attitudes towards antibiotics, for example by more often expecting to be prescribed antibiotics. All physicians and pharmacists in the selected countries reported to inform their patients on how to use antibiotics upon prescription; however, Turkish migrants’ poor language proficiency was considered as a substantial communication barrier by the physicians and pharmacists interviewed in the European countries. Conclusions The study illustrated some aspects of irrational antibiotic use among the population in Turkey and Turkish migrants in selected European countries. It emphasized the need for closer community participation, adequate information campaigns, as well as in-service training of health care providers in Turkey. The strategies and interventions on rational antibiotic use should also be supported and encouraged by health care providers, who need to reach out to people with various cultural backgrounds. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12875-022-01636-8.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilal Özcebe
- Department of Public, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Sarp Üner
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Lokman Hekim University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Ozge Karadag
- Columbia University, Earth Institute, Center for Sustainable Development, New York, NY, USA.,Hacettepe University, Institute of Public Health, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Achraf Daryani
- Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Olga Gershuni
- Department of International Health, Care and Public Health Research Institute - CAPHRI, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.,Department of International Health, Maastricht University, FHML, CAPHRI, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Katarzyna Czabanowska
- Department of International Health, Care and Public Health Research Institute - CAPHRI, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Helmut Brand
- Department of International Health, Care and Public Health Research Institute - CAPHRI, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Fabian Erdsiek
- Witten/Herdecke University, Faculty of Health, School of Medicine, Health Services Research, Witten, Germany.,Chemnitz University of Technology, Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Epidemiology Unit, Chemnitz, Germany
| | - Tuğba Aksakal
- Witten/Herdecke University, Faculty of Health, School of Medicine, Health Services Research, Witten, Germany.,Chemnitz University of Technology, Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Epidemiology Unit, Chemnitz, Germany
| | - Patrick Brzoska
- Witten/Herdecke University, Faculty of Health, School of Medicine, Health Services Research, Witten, Germany. .,Chemnitz University of Technology, Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Epidemiology Unit, Chemnitz, Germany.
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