The Battle against Antibiotic Resistance: Exploring Perceptions, Misconceptions, Attitudes, Practices, and Awareness Factors Influencing Antibiotic Resistance among General and Clinical Populations
The Battle against Antibiotic Resistance
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54393/pjhs.v4i10.1011Keywords:
Antibiotics, Antibiotic Resistance, General Public, Inappropriate Intake, Medical PractitonersAbstract
Antibiotic resistance is rapidly advancing and becoming a higher risk over time; previously manageable infections have turned untreatable. Objective: To assess the perceptions, misconceptions, attitudes, practices, and awareness factors influencing antibiotic resistance among general and clinical populations. Methods: A total of 348 participants from the general public and 523 junior and senior medical practitioners in Peshawar, Pakistan, were included in this comparative observational cross-sectional study. Data were collected using a standardized questionnaire, which was later assessed by Chi-square test through SPSS version 26.0. Results: The results revealed a lack of awareness and knowledge regarding antibiotic resistance among both groups. Only 32% of the general public correctly identified the definition of antibiotic resistance, while 76% of medical practitioners demonstrated a basic understanding of the concept. However, a significant number of participants from both groups recognized the problem of bacterial infections resistant to all antibiotics and the contribution of self-medication to antibiotic resistance. In terms of self-medication practices, approximately 60% of the general public reported self-medicating with antibiotics without consulting a healthcare professional. Among medical practitioners, the rate of self-medication was significantly lower, but a small proportion still admitted to prescribing antibiotics without appropriate diagnosis or indications. The majority of participants, however, did not intend to prescribe/suggest unnecessary antibiotics. Conclusions: The findings indicated that both groups were cognizant of the issue, yet certain misconceptions persisted within each group.
References
Augie BM, van Zyl RL, McInerney PA, Miot J. Knowledge and perceptions about antibiotic resistance and prudent antibiotic prescribing among final year medical students in two African countries. International Journal of Pharmacy Practice. 2021 Oct; 29(5): 508-14. doi: 10.1093/ijpp/riab044. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ijpp/riab044
Firouzabadi D and Mahmoudi L. Knowledge, attitude, and practice of health care workers towards antibiotic resistance and antimicrobial stewardship programmes: A cross‐sectional study. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice. 2020 Feb; 26(1): 190-6. doi: 10.1111/jep.13177. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jep.13177
Zulu A, Matafwali SK, Banda M, Mudenda S. Assessment of knowledge, attitude and practices on antibiotic resistance among undergraduate medical students in the school of medicine at the University of Zambia. International Journal of Basic Clinical Pharmacology. 2020 Feb; 9(2): 263-70. doi: 10.18203/2319-2003.ijbcp20200174. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18203/2319-2003.ijbcp20200174
Thriemer K, Katuala Y, Batoko B, Alworonga JP, Devlieger H, Van Geet C, et al. Antibiotic prescribing in DR Congo: a knowledge, attitude and practice survey among medical doctors and students. PloS One. 2013 Feb; 8(2): e55495. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0055495. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0055495
Higuita-Gutiérrez LF, Roncancio Villamil GE, Jiménez Quiceno JN. Knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding antibiotic use and resistance among medical students in Colombia: A cross-sectional descriptive study. BMC Public Health. 2020 Dec; 20: 1-2. doi: 10.1186/s12889-020-09971-0. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-09971-0
Frieri M, Kumar K, Boutin A. Antibiotic resistance. Journal of Infection and Public Health. 2017 Jul; 10(4): 369-78. doi: 10.1016/j.jiph.2016.08.007. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jiph.2016.08.007
AK AK, Banu G, Reshma KK. Antibiotic resistance and usage—a survey on the knowledge, attitude, perceptions and practices among the medical students of a Southern Indian teaching hospital. Journal of clinical and diagnostic research: Journal of Clinical Diagnostics and Research. 2013 Aug; 7(8): 1613. doi: 10.7860/JCDR/2013/6290.3230. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7860/JCDR/2013/6290.3230
MacGowan A and Macnaughton E. Antibiotic resistance. Medicine. 2017 Oct; 45(10): 622-8. doi: 10.1016/j.mpmed.2017.07.006. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mpmed.2017.07.006
Waaseth M, Adan A, Røen IL, Eriksen K, Stanojevic T, Halvorsen KH, et al. Knowledge of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance among Norwegian pharmacy customers–a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health. 2019 Dec; 19: 1-2. doi: 10.1186/s12889-019-6409-x. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-6409-x
Ortiz-Martínez Y and Moreno-Babilonia C. Antibiotic prescribing and resistance: knowledge among Latin American medical students during Antibiotic Awareness Week 2016. Journal of Hospital Infection. 2017 Jul; 96(3): 301. doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2017.03.027. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhin.2017.03.027
Gupta MK, Vohra C, Raghav P. Assessment of knowledge, attitudes, and practices about antibiotic resistance among medical students in India. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care. 2019 Sep; 8(9): 2864. doi: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_504_19. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_504_19
Bell M. Antibiotic misuse: a global crisis. JAMA internal medicine. 2014 Dec; 174(12): 1920-1. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.3289. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.3289
Shapiro DJ, Hicks LA, Pavia AT, Hersh AL. Antibiotic prescribing for adults in ambulatory care in the USA, 2007–09. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. 2014 Jan; 69(1): 234-40. doi: 10.1093/jac/dkt301. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jac/dkt301
Cole A. GPs feel pressurised to prescribe unnecessary antibiotics, survey finds. BMJ. 2014 Aug; 349: g5238. doi: 10.1136/bmj.g5238. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.g5238
Hayat K, Jamshed S, Rosenthal M, Haq NU, Chang J, Rasool MF, et al. Understanding of pharmacy students towards antibiotic use, antibiotic resistance and antibiotic stewardship programs: a cross-sectional study from Punjab, Pakistan. Antibiotics. 2021 Jan; 10(1): 66. doi: 10.3390/antibiotics10010066. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics10010066
Di Gennaro F, Marotta C, Amicone M, Bavaro DF, Bernaudo F, Frisicale EM, et al. Italian young doctors’ knowledge, attitudes and practices on antibiotic use and resistance: A national cross-sectional survey. Journal of Global Antimicrobial Resistance. 2020 Dec; 23: 167-73. doi: 10.1016/j.jgar.2020.08.022. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jgar.2020.08.022
Rabbani F and Abbasi IN. Accreditation and health care quality assurance in Pakistan: A desk review. Pakistan Journal of Public Health. 2017; 7(3): 174-9. doi: 10.32413/pjph.v7i3.74. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32413/pjph.v7i3.74
Shaikh BT. Anti-microbial resistance in Pakistan: a public health issue. Journal of Ayub Medical College Abbottabad. 2017 Apr; 29(2): 184-5.
Ohl CA and Luther VP. Health care provider education as a tool to enhance antibiotic stewardship practices. Infectious Disease Clinics. 2014 Jun; 28(2): 177-93. doi: 10.1016/j.idc.2014.02.001. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.idc.2014.02.001
Prigitano A, Romanò L, Auxilia F, Castaldi S, Tortorano AM. Antibiotic resistance: Italian awareness survey 2016. Journal of Infection and Public Health. 2018 Jan; 11(1): 30-4. doi: 10.1016/j.jiph.2017.02.010. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jiph.2017.02.010
André M, Vernby Å, Berg J, Lundborg CS. A survey of public knowledge and awareness related to antibiotic use and resistance in Sweden. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. 2010 Jun; 65(6): 1292-6. doi: 10.1093/jac/dkq104. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jac/dkq104
Konde S, Jairam LS, Peethambar P, Noojady SR, Kumar NC. Antibiotic overusage and resistance: A cross-sectional survey among pediatric dentists. Journal of Indian Society of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry. 2016 Apr; 34(2): 145-51. doi: 10.4103/0970-4388.180444. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/0970-4388.180444
Vaz LE, Kleinman KP, Lakoma MD, Dutta-Linn MM, Nahill C, Hellinger J, et al. Prevalence of parental misconceptions about antibiotic use. Pediatrics. 2015 Aug; 136(2): 221-31. doi: 10.1542/peds.2015-0883. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2015-0883
El Khoury G, Ramia E, Salameh P. Misconceptions and malpractices toward antibiotic use in childhood upper respiratory tract infections among a cohort of Lebanese parents. Evaluation & the Health Professions. 2018 Dec; 41(4): 493-511. doi: 10.1177/0163278716686809. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0163278716686809
Jamrozik E and Selgelid MJ. Drug-resistant infection: Causes, consequences, and responses. In: Ethics and Drug Resistance: Collective Responsibility for Global Public Health. 2020: 3-18. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-27874-8_1. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-27874-8_1
Al Rahbi F, Al Salmi I, Khamis F, Al Balushi Z, Pandak N, Petersen E, et al. Physicians’ attitudes, knowledge, and practices regarding antibiotic prescriptions. Journal of Global Antimicrobial Resistance. 2023 Mar; 32: 58-65. doi: 10.1016/j.jgar.2022.12.005. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jgar.2022.12.005
McCubbin KD, Anholt RM, de Jong E, Ida JA, Nóbrega DB, Kastelic JP, et al. Knowledge gaps in the understanding of antimicrobial resistance in Canada. Frontiers in Public Health. 2021 Oct; 9: 726484. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.726484. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2021.726484
Muflih SM, Al-Azzam S, Karasneh RA, Conway BR, Aldeyab MA. Public health literacy, knowledge, and awareness regarding antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study. Antibiotics. 2021 Sep; 10(9): 1107. doi: 10.3390/antibiotics10091107. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics10091107
Jamhour A, El-Kheir A, Salameh P, Abi Hanna P, Mansour H. Antibiotic knowledge and self-medication practices in a developing country: A cross-sectional study. American Journal of Infection Control. 2017 Apr; 45(4): 384-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2016.11.026. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2016.11.026
Nisabwe L, Brice H, Umuhire MC, Gwira O, Harelimana JD, Nzeyimana Z, et al. Knowledge and attitudes towards antibiotic use and resistance among undergraduate healthcare students at University of Rwanda. Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice. 2020 Dec; 13(1): 1-8. doi: 10.1186/s40545-020-00207-5. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40545-020-00207-5
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Pakistan Journal of Health Sciences
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This is an open-access journal and all the published articles / items are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. For comments