Background: Resistance to antibacterial drugs can be contained by
judicious utilization, so we must know about its use. The objective is to
describe the prevalence of antibiotic consumption and the variability in
the use of antibiotics among outpatients in the different health areas of
Aragon.
Methods: Study of the prescription of antibiotics in the health areas
of Aragon in 2008. Data were extracted from theAragon Pharmaceutical
Consumption Database, a complete register of all dispensed prescriptions.
Prescription rates per 1000 individuals adjusted by sex and age
were calculated using a direct and indirect standardization method. The
subgroups utilization were calculated in Defined Daily Dose per 1000
inhabitants per day (DID). In the variation analysis were used: extremal
quotient (EQ), coefficient of variation (CV), weighted coefficient of
variation (CVw).
Results: The adjusted rate of antibiotic varied between 279,8 and
382 per 1000 inhabitants, showing a CVw=0,12. The utilization rate in
women was 364.9 per 1,000 and in men 300.0 per 1,000. Cephalosporins
have a EQ=2,42 and CVw=0,37; and quinolones have EQ=1,84 and
CVw=0,22.
Conclusions: The utilization rate was higher in women than men.
The higher variability in the prescription of antibiotics among health areas
in Aragon was in cephalosporins and quinolones.