{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,14]],"date-time":"2026-02-14T03:27:48Z","timestamp":1771039668267,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":51,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"19","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,9,29]],"date-time":"2022-09-29T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1664409600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"UK Department of Health &amp; Social Care"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJERPH"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Increasing trends in antimicrobial resistance among uropathogens call for rational use of empirical antibiotics for managing uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs). In Ghana, standard treatment guidelines (STGs) for UTI recommend oral ciprofloxacin or cefuroxime for 5\u20137 days in females and 10\u201314 days in males. We conducted a cross-sectional audit using electronic medical records (EMR) to assess compliance to the STGs among adults (\u226518 years) with uncomplicated UTIs diagnosed in a primary health facility between October 2019 and October 2021. Among 3717 patients, 71% were females and all had complete prescription details in the EMR. Of all the patients, 83% were prescribed empirical antibiotics, of whom 88% received oral ciprofloxacin or cefuroxime. Only 68% were prescribed antibiotics for the correct duration, which was significantly lower among males (10%) compared to females (90%). Among patients who received antibiotics, 60% were prescribed in line with the STGs. The results call for feedback to physicians about poor compliance to STGs with duration of antibiotic prescribed. Recommendations on 10\u201314 days duration of antibiotics for males needs to be reassessed and necessary amendments to STGs can be made. Leveraging the well-established EMR system, a real-time audit-feedback mechanism can be instituted to improve compliance with STGs.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph191912413","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,9,29]],"date-time":"2022-09-29T21:03:10Z","timestamp":1664485390000},"page":"12413","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":14,"title":["Compliance to Guidelines in Prescribing Empirical Antibiotics for Individuals with Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infection in a Primary Health Facility of Ghana, 2019\u20132021"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"19","author":[{"given":"Helena","family":"Owusu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Pharmacy Department, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra P.O. Box KB77, Ghana"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5257-5074","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Pruthu","family":"Thekkur","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Operational Research, International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), 75001 Paris, France"},{"name":"The Union South-East Asia Office (The USEA), New Delhi 110016, India"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1451-2723","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jacklyne","family":"Ashubwe-Jalemba","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Medwise Solutions, Nairobi P.O. Box 2356-00202 KNH, Kenya"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3147-5143","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"George Kwesi","family":"Hedidor","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"World Health Organization Country Office, Roman Ridge, Accra P.O. Box MB142, Ghana"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Oksana","family":"Corquaye","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Pharmacy Department, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra P.O. Box KB77, Ghana"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Asiwome","family":"Aggor","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Pharmacy Department, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra P.O. Box KB77, Ghana"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Allen","family":"Steele-Dadzie","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Polyclinic\/Family Medicine Department, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra P.O. Box KB77, Ghana"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2447-1830","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Daniel","family":"Ankrah","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Pharmacy Department, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra P.O. Box KB77, Ghana"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,9,29]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"73","DOI":"10.1097\/QCO.0000000000000228","article-title":"Global Epidemiology of Urinary Tract Infections","volume":"29","author":"Tandogdu","year":"2016","journal-title":"Curr. Opin. Infect. Dis."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5","DOI":"10.1016\/S0002-9343(02)01054-9","article-title":"Epidemiology of Urinary Tract Infections: Incidence, Morbidity, and Economic Costs","volume":"113","author":"Foxman","year":"2002","journal-title":"Am. J. 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