Community knowledge and attitudes on antibiotic use in Moshi Urban, Northern Tanzania: Findings from a cross sectional study

Abstract

There is increasing and spread of antibacterial resistance to antibiotics worldwide. The level of knowledge and attitudes of the community regarding the use of antibiotics in Tanzania is unknown. The present study identified determinants of knowledge and attitudes regarding antibiotics use in Moshi Urban district, Northern Tanzania. A cross-sectional study was conducted from April to June 2016 among community members whereby information was collected by using questionnaires on a sample of 292 randomly selected respondents. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis were used in data analysis to assess factors associated with knowledge and attitude towards antibiotic use. Out of 292 respondents, 183 (62.7%) had good knowledge regarding antibiotics use while those with adequate attitude were 255 (87.3%). Respondents with no formal education, primary and secondary education had lower odds of having good knowledge regarding antibiotics use as compared to those with higher education degree (OR=0.04, 95%CI: 0.002-0.79), (OR=0.38, 95% CI: 0.14-0.97), and (OR=0.42, 95% CI: 0.16-1.06), respectively. Respondents with good knowledge regarding antibiotics use had higher odds of having adequate attitude towards antibiotic use (OR=3.16, 95% CI: 1.49-6.70). It was concluded that knowledge and attitude regarding antibiotic use is fair. Therefore, these findings are important in strategizing targeted antibiotic awareness campaigns among population.

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Regarding Antimicrobial Use and Resistance Among Communities of Ilala, Kilosa and Kibaha Districts of Tanzania. 

“…The level of awareness observed in our study regarding antimicrobials and their use is similar to the ndings reported by studies in Nepal and Jordan [40,41]. The observed poor knowledge regarding AMU and AMR accords with the ndings reported previously [41,42]. The pattern observed in our study for knowledge of AMU and AMR to increase with an increased level of participants' education, contrasts with the ndings of previous studies elsewhere [41][42][43][44].…”

“…In our study, we recorded a moderate attitude regarding the appropriate use of antimicrobial, which was a lower level than previously reported by other studies in Tanzania [42] and in Hong Kong [66]. However, the different scoring schemes used between our study and these other studies might have led to the different conclusions made regarding the attitude scores.…”

“…The observed poor knowledge regarding AMU and AMR accords with the ndings reported previously [41,42]. The pattern observed in our study for knowledge of AMU and AMR to increase with an increased level of participants' education, contrasts with the ndings of previous studies elsewhere [41][42][43][44]. Overall, over half of the participants were not aware of AMR and the knowledge level was considered moderate, similar to the nding reported in Nepal [41].…”

“…However, the different scoring schemes used between our study and these other studies might have led to the different conclusions made regarding the attitude scores. For instance, whereas in our study the observed score of 72.7% was considered moderate, the study by Mbwambo and others [42] reported a score of 62.7% that was regarded as good knowledge of antimicrobials use. A study in Hong Kong [66] found the level of 77.0% that was considered an adequate knowledge of antimicrobial use.…”

Cross-sectional Survey on Antibiotic Prescription Practices Among Health Care Providers in Rombo District, Northern Tanzania

“…Poor knowledge about antibiotics may be a factor influencing prescribers' attitudes toward antibiotic use and prescription practices, which then becomes a problem for patients and the community. 8 Lack of confidence and training about the rational use of antibiotics among prescribers and dispensers is a serious problem, especially when antibiotics are prescribed in the absence of cause of illness, thus increasing the risk of antibiotic resistance and adverse reactions. [9][10][11] Several factors contribute to the inappropriate prescription of antibiotics, including a health care provider's knowledge and experiences, uncertain diagnosis, patient expectations, pharmaceutical marketing influences, and unregulated antibiotic dispensing.…”