Lulu C. Bravo and Jo-Anne J. Lobo
Chief, Pediatric Infectious Disease, UP-Philippine General Hospital
Fellow, Pediatric Infectious Disease, UP-Philippine General Hospital
doi.org/10.57043/transnastphl.1997.5932
Abstract
In 1989, the Department of Health (DOH) and the World Health Organization (WHO) introduced the Control of Acute Respiratory Tract Infection (CARI) Program to pediatricians and general physicians. The study was undertaken to determine the physician’s adherence to the WHO-CARI Program. Questionnaires were served to 250 physicians asking their most commonly used antibiotics for treatment of Community-acquired pneumonia classified as: (1) mild-moderate, (2) moderate-severe and (3) very severe pneumonia. Of the 190 respondents, there were 164 general pediatricians, 17 general practitioners (GPs) and 9 pediatric subspecialists. Eighty-eight percent of the respondents adhered to the recommended drug for mild-moderate pneumonia. Less than half, however, were consistent with the CARI Program for the two other types of pneumonia. Amoxicillin, Pen G and cephalosporin were the empiric drugs of choice for the three respective types of pneumonia. Only 15 general pediatricians and two GPs followed the CARI Program strictly for all types of pneumonia. Thus, there is a need to determine the reasons for the limited use of the WHO-CARI Treatment Guidelines by physicians and to plan strategies for more effective means of dissemination and implementation of the WHO-CARI program.