Rates of maternal and perinatal mortality remain high in developing countries despite the existence of effective interventions. Efforts to strengthen evidence-based approaches to improve health in these settings are partly hindered by restricted access to the best available evidence, limited training in evidence-based practice and concerns about the relevance of existing evidence. South East Asia--Optimising Reproductive and Child Health in Developing Countries (SEA-ORCHID) was a five-year project that aimed to determine whether a multifaceted intervention designed to strengthen the capacity for research synthesis, evidence-based care and knowledge implementation improved clinical practice and led to better health outcomes for mothers and babies. This paper describes the development and design of the SEA-ORCHID intervention plan using a logical framework approach.
Matched MeSH terms: Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Hospital/organization & administration
A prospective survey of antibiotic prescribing patterns in six Ministry of Health general hospitals in Malaysia was undertaken. Information on antibiotic prescriptions including the types of antibiotics used and the purposes for prescription was obtained through the use of questionnaires. A total of 1,918 antibiotic prescriptions were available for analysis. About two-thirds of prescriptions were for therapeutic purposes. The most common infections treated were lower respiratory infection (31%), followed by skin and soft tissue infection (17%), and urinary tract infection (8%). Only 20% of the therapeutic prescriptions were based on microbiological test results. Prophylactic prescriptions were issued for a variety of indications, the most common being toilet and suture of wounds. Only 5% of prophylactic prescriptions were of less than 3 days duration. There was great diversity in antibiotics and antibiotic regimens employed. It was evident that there was a lack of compliance with guidelines on antibiotic use issued by the Ministry of Health.
Matched MeSH terms: Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Hospital/organization & administration