Antibiotic use in Albania between 2011 and 2012

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology and Public Health
• Microbial Resistance Studies

Background:

• Albania faces rising antibiotic misuse and microbial resistance.
• No prior comprehensive studies analyzed national antibiotic consumption.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify overall antibiotic use in Albania from 2011-2012.
• To establish a baseline for future antibiotic stewardship initiatives.

Main Methods:

• Utilized World Health Organization guidelines for standardized measurement.
• Analyzed ambulatory and hospital sector data using Defined Daily Dose per 1,000 inhabitants per day (DID).
• Classified antibiotics via the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical system.

Main Results:

• Total antibiotic consumption decreased from 24.25 to 20.66 DID between 2011 and 2012.
• Penicillins were the most utilized class, followed by decreasing tetracycline use and increasing macrolides and quinolones.
• Overall antibiotic use significantly exceeded reimbursed levels (3.17 DID in 2011, 2.79 DID in 2012).

Conclusions:

• Findings provide crucial data for Albanian policymakers on antibiotic prescription quality.
• Data suggest factors influencing out-of-pocket and potentially inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions require further investigation.
• Highlights the need for comparative international analysis of antibiotic usage patterns.