Background: Acne vulgaris (AV) is a common chronic skin disease affecting almost 10% of the population worldwide, most of which (85%) are adolescents and teenagers. The exact risk factors and etiology of AV remain unclear. This study assessed the preferred antibiotics for AV treatment among family medicine physicians (FMPs) and dermatologists at a tertiary care hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among Riyadh’s FMPs and dermatologists. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to prescribing physicians via social media platforms. The questionnaire included demographic characteristics (e.g., years of experience and specialty), type of antibiotics (i.e., topical and systemic), preference for antibiotic therapy, and opinions on antibiotic resistance.
Results: Of the 56 prescribing physicians, 46 were FMPs, and 10 were dermatologists. Dermatologists were associated with seeing and examining more patients with AV per day (p < 0.001). Clindamycin phosphate was the most prominent topical antibiotic prescribed to adults, pediatric patients, and pregnant women with AV, and dermatologists were more likely to prescribe clindamycin to pregnant women than FMPs (p = 0.024). The most prescribed systemic antibiotics include tetracycline, doxycycline, and azithromycin. Dermatologists were likelier to believe antibiotics should not be used alone to prevent antibiotic resistance (p < 0.001), and FMPs were likelier to believe that antibiotic resistance did not spread.
Conclusion: Dermatologists showed a high preference for prescribing antibiotics to treat and manage patients with AV. Unlike FMPs, dermatologists tend to prescribe a combination of topical and systemic AV therapies. However, FMPs are less likely to believe that antibiotic-resistant bacteria are transmissible. There is clear evidence that FMPs’ understanding of antibiotic prescriptions for AV treatment is insufficient and that relevant education is imperative.
Key words: Topical, systemic, antibiotic, acne vulgaris, family medicine, physician, dermatologist
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