A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY TO ASSESS THE KNOWLEDGE AND PERCEPTION OF RATIONAL USE OF ANTIBIOTICS AMONG GENERAL MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS IN VELLORE, TAMIL NADU - 2016

ABSTRACT: Antimicrobial resistance is a major public health problem globally in this post antibiotic era. Antimicrobial resistance occurs naturally, but misuse and overuse of antibiotics in humans and animals is accelerating the process. This not only leads to increase in morbidity and mortality but also a great economic burden especially in developing countries. In countries where antibiotics can be bought without a prescription, emergence and spread of resistance is made worse. Similarly, in countries without standard treatment guidelines, antibiotics are often over-prescribed by health workers and over-used by the public. Hence this study aims to assess the knowledge and perception of rational use of antibiotic among general practitioners, whose individual treatment pattern is not usually monitored