Is health literacy associated with antibiotic use, knowledge and awareness of antimicrobial resistance among non-medical university students in Egypt? A cross-sectional study

Abstract

ObjectivesAntibiotic resistance is a global public health concern, especially in developing countries, where antibiotic misuse is widespread. However, studies investigating relevant factors, particularly in youth, are limited. This study examined the levels of health literacy (HL) and their association with antibiotic use, knowledge of antibiotics and awareness of antibiotic resistance among university students in Egypt.DesignA cross-sectional study was conducted using self-administered questionnaires during 2018. The Health Literacy Survey (HLS-EU-Q16) and the WHO Antibiotic resistance: Multi-Country Public Awareness Survey were used. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were used to compare responses on use and knowledge of antibiotics, and awareness of antibiotic resistance between the three levels of students’ HL.SettingUniversity, Cairo, Egypt.Participants508 non-medical university students.OutcomesStudents’ HL scores were categorised into sufficient, problematic and inadequate. Students’ knowledge of antibiotics was categorised into good and poor. Students’ awareness of antibiotic resistance was categorised into high, average and poor.Results35.1% of students had sufficient HL. 79.7% of students had poor knowledge of antibiotics. 39.9% of students reported having used antibiotics in the past month without a prescription. 92.2% had limited awareness of antibiotic resistance and 30.6% of students heard about the term ‘antimicrobial resistance’. Background characteristics did not significantly differ by HL levels or knowledge scores, except for students’ year of study. Sufficient HL was independently associated with students’ high awareness of antibiotic resistance (adjusted OR=2.8; 95% CI: 1.3 to 5.9).ConclusionsHL was insufficient in this sample of non-medical Egyptian university students. Across all levels of HL, knowledge of antibiotics and awareness of antibiotic resistance were limited, reflecting deficiency in relevant education programmes. Findings suggest that sufficient HL supports high awareness of antibiotic resistance. Incorporating HL and rational antibiotic use awareness raising programmes in university curricula is an urgent necessity to curb antibiotic resistance.

Public Health Literacy, Knowledge, and Awareness Regarding Antibiotic Use and Antimicrobial Resistance during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…However, there was some confusion regarding some items, such as “Farmers should give fewer antibiotics to food-producing animals” and “People should not keep antibiotics and use them later for other illnesses”, which were the least agreed upon by the participants to address the problem of antibiotic resistance. Previous research yielded similar results [ 2 , 20 ]. The findings of this study propose instant solutions and various techniques to improve antibiotic stewardship in various livestock sectors.…”

“…Acquainting patients with the fact that antibiotic resistance is attributed to bacteria’s capacity to overcome the action of therapeutic agents and that it is a global issue making everyone susceptible to antibiotic-resistant, difficult-to-treat infections may enhance social contributions to the implementation of antibiotic resistance prevention strategies. Previous studies reported similar results [ 2 , 20 , 36 ]. The findings of this study revealed that more than four-fifths (83%) of the participants made wrong assumptions regarding whether antibiotics heal sore throats, whereas less than half (43%) were incorrect in their assertion that antibiotics can be used to treat colds and the flu.…”

“…Further, the participants with low health literacy were also shown to have lack of knowledge about antibiotics and antibiotic resistance, which may be a result of their inability to evaluate information received from healthcare practitioners. Similar findings were observed in Egypt, where low levels of antibiotic knowledge and awareness of antibiotic resistance were connected to low levels of health literacy [ 20 ].…”

“…Similarly, an Egyptian cross-sectional investigation linked antibiotic resistance awareness to health literacy. According to the study, 92% of people were unaware of antibiotic resistance, and 40% had used antibiotics without a prescription in the previous month [ 20 ]. Community pharmacies are the most common form of public primary care in Jordan, providing prescription and nonprescription medications for a wide range of conditions.…”

Faktor-faktor Yang Mempengaruhi Pengetahuan Dan Perilaku Penggunaan Antibiotika Pada Mahasiswa Farmasi UMM

“…Perilaku penggunaan antibiotika yang tepat salah satunya berdasarkan resep dokter juga sejalan dengan penelitian yang dilakukan di Kolkata, India 16 , pada mahasiswa sarjana kedokteran dimana menyimpulkan bahwa mayoritas (75,5%) partisipannya menggunakan antibiotika melalui resep dokter dan 54% menjalani pengobatan sampai selesai. Berdasarkan hasil tersebut dapat dipahami bahwa penggunaan antibiotika yang tinggi tersebut diimbangi dengan tingkat pengetahuan yang tinggi pula, sehingga para partisipan mengerti apa yang dilakukannya dengan konsultasi kepada dokter terlebih dahulu 17,18 . Namun, berbeda dengan penelitian serupa yang dilakukan pada mahasiswa Universitas di Malaysia yang mana hanya 25,7% dari 424 partisipannya mengaku menggunakan antibiotika pada bulan-bulan sebelumnya 19 .…”