Assessing Patterns of Antibiotic Prescriptions Practices Among the Geriatric Patients in Bauchi State, Nigeria

Background: Antibiotics are bacteriostatic or bactericidal agents that are most widely prescribe in the hospitals globally. This study is aimed at assessing patterns of antibiotic prescriptions practices among the geriatric patients in Bauchi State, Nigeria. The study employed a mixed methods research design. The respondents comprised 370 males and females' geriatric patients, aged 60-89 years, accessing medical care at the Out-patient, In-patient, and other relevant departments, of selected secondary and tertiary hospitals in the State; who were sampled using a multi-stage sampling procedure with appropriate techniques.  Result: There mean age was 74.0 ± 7.0 and 50.5% were females. Respondents' demographics and antibiotics prescription pattern were collected using focused group discussion and questionnaire developed through the literature review. Pearson chi-square test was utilized to investigate associations between outcome variables with p< 0.05 considered statistically significant at 95% confidence level. There was a low level of antibiotics (15.9%) and among the respondents and protocols for prescription of antibiotics were followed. Ciprofloxacin 48(96%), males 23(46%), females 25(50%) was the most commonly prescribed antibiotics. There was no statistically significant association between gender and antibiotic prescription pattern (X 2 cal =1.604 < X 2 0.05(3) =7.815, p-value= 0.658), among the respondents. Lack of clear communication by healthcare workers, males 100(27.0%), females 100(27.0%); lack of support system for patients, males 98(26.5%), females 104(28.1%); antibiotics resistance, and over prescription, males 98(26.5%), females 99(26,8%), were the major specific prescriber-related factors that could influence the antibiotic prescribing in general practice among the respondents.  Conclusion: The study generally showed that there was no gender disparity in antibiotics prescription pattern, adherence, and misuse among the respondents; hence interventions to improve antibiotics adherence or address its misuse should focus on the overall geriatric patients need rather than targeting specific gender.