Many antibiotics at high unemployment

In regions where many people are affected by unemployment, doctors often prescribe antibiotics for children

03/04/2013

In regions with few doctors and high unemployment, children are prescribed antibiotics more often than elsewhere. This increases the risk of resistance. Is the problem with the overburdened doctors?

Use antibiotics sensibly
Antibiotics, which are among the most widely prescribed medications worldwide, are usually the ideal remedy for bacterial infections. Since its invention and development, many illnesses have been put to death by the drug, and it has helped millions of people worldwide to cure disease.

However, antibiotics can also be used incorrectly or too often, they are too often prescribed in Germany, among others. Already on average about every second child gets an antibiotic once a year, partly in diseases that are usually triggered by viruses, such as cold or otitis media. On the other hand, antibiotics can not do anything, they have an antibacterial effect.

The problem becomes when antibiotics are used too often too often. Developing resistance to bacteria that enter the environment is a natural process, but improper handling of the drug will over-promote it. Thus, it may happen that antibiotics are no longer effective if necessary.

Dangerous multi-resistance
In the meantime, multidrug-resistant germs have become a major problem. They can make infections very difficult or even impossible to treat. Only recently, scientists from the Free University of Berlin found in a study of rats from the Berlin urban area in every sixth animal multidrug resistant intestinal germs. This number is similar for patients in hospitals, it is about 12 to 16 percent. In Berlin's Charité, several seriously ill patients with multidrug-resistant germs were infected in February. The World Health Organization (WHO) also calls for responsible use of antibiotics and warns against resistance.

Social situation partly responsible for antibiotic treatment
A study by the Bertelsmann Foundation came to the conclusion that antibiotics are prescribed very differently in Germany. In some areas, the proportion of children receiving antibiotics is less than 20 percent, in others it is almost three times as many. Although the results were published last year, the reasons for the regional differences were unclear. „A clear pattern was initially unclear, "said Stefan Etgeton, a health expert at the Bertelsmann Foundation, but there are now new findings from a further brief study, which evaluated various regional factors such as the economic situation, educational status, social situation and volunteer status Surprisingly, it emerged that the social situation has the greatest influence on how often antibiotics are prescribed, with antibiotics being prescribed more often in children with higher unemployment and a lower employment rate.

Overloaded doctors?
In second place was the density of doctors: the fewer prescriptions the fewer paediatricians and family doctors in the region are. „It may be that primary care physicians, who care for many patients, are more likely to prescribe an antibiotic - out of a certain overloading routine. "Etgeton's analysis shows that the social situation and the density of physicians combined account for a quarter of the differences.

Another difference can be found between the different specialist groups. „For middle ear infections, GPs prescribe antibiotics more often than pediatricians or ENT doctors, "said Etgeton, although it's the opposite for pneumonia. „Where indicated, GPs prescribe fewer antibiotics than pediatricians. This is an indication that the guidelines in the family doctors are not implemented as is the case with medical specialists. "

Enlightened patients as a recipe
It also became clear that fewer antibiotics were prescribed when there was a better exchange between GPs and paediatricians. A good example of this are the quality circles in Schleswig-Holstein. Etgeton analyzes: „This could be an indication of how important it is to increase the exchange of expertise between specialists and general practitioners. "However, since most of the differences can not be fully explained, one important conclusion remains: educating patients about when and how antibiotics make sense "Fact Check" answers many questions and provides information that can help to find a better way to deal with antibiotics. (ad)

Also read:
Alternatives to antibiotics from naturopathy
Rarely are antibiotics really useful
Antibiotic causes suicide of the bacteria
Children receive antibiotics too often
Antibiotic resistance is on the rise
Naturopathy: With coriander against bacteria

Picture: Rainer Sturm