Public Knowledge, Attitudes, and Experience Regarding the Use of Antibiotics in Italy

Abstract

BackgroundThe objectives of the study were to investigate the level of knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding antibiotics of the general population in Italy, and to assess the correlates of these outcomes of interest.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted on a random sample of 630 parents of students attending nine randomly selected public primary and secondary schools. A self-administered questionnaire included questions on demographic characteristics, knowledge about antibiotic use and resistance, attitudes and behaviors towards antibiotic use, and sources of information.ResultsA total of 419 parents participated. Only 9.8% knew the definition of antibiotic resistance and 21.2% knew when it was appropriate to use antibiotics. Respondents with higher education, employed, with a family member working in the health care sector, and with no need for additional information on antibiotics were more likely to know the definition of antibiotic resistance. One third (32.7%) self-classified them as users of self-medication with antibiotics and those with a lower self-rated health status, who did not use the physician as source of information on antibiotics, and who have attended a physician in the last year were more likely to use self-medication. One-fourth (22.7%) of those who had never been self-medicated would be willing to take an antibiotic without a prescription of a physician. Respondents were more likely to be willing to take antibiotics without a prescription if they were under 40 years of age, if they had a lower self-rated health status, if they did not know that antibiotics are not indicated for treating flu and sore throat, and if they knew that antibiotics are not indicated for treating colds.ConclusionsThe survey has generated information about knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding antibiotics in the general population and effective public education initiative should provide practical and appropriate means to change their behavior.

Prevalence and Predictors of Self-Medication with Antibiotics for Children in Makkah, Saudi Arabia

“…Previously, most studies reported that the frequency of self-prescription with antibiotics is relatively greater in developing countries than in developed countries [6,7]. Regions of Eastern Europe and southern showed much higher prevalence of self-medication than western areas of Europe and northern area [7].…”

“…Saudi Arabia has a worldwide significance in epidemiology of antimicrobial resistance [6,7]. In addition, Prevalence of self-medication with antibiotics in Saudi Arabia was about 80.6% [11].…”

Awareness and Knowledge about Antibiotic Use and Resistance among Students of Northern Border University Saudi Arabia

“…There are clear differences between the prevalence rates of self-medication with antibiotics among different European countries, ranging from 5% to 45% [3,11,19,20] in the general population.…”

“…Many studies have reported that antibiotic regime non-adherence and in-appropriate antibiotic use are strongly associated with public awareness and knowledge of antibiotics [2][3][4][5]. Factors associated with public knowledge of antibiotics have been reported to be demographic characteristics, including gender [2,4,[6][7][8], age [6,[8][9][10][11][12], race [7,9], education level [3,4,[6][7][8][9][10][12][13][14][15], family income [4,8,14], place of residence [13,14], as well as other factors, such as lack of advice regarding rational antibiotic use, given by a physician [16]. Also, unregulated drug availability, inadequate antimicrobial drug quality assurance, inadequate surveillance and widespread attitude to antimicrobial misuse, include self-medication [17].…”

Misuse of Antibiotic Therapy among University Community in South Jordan

“…Supporting this evidence, it was reported that nearly 23% of university students in Pakistan used antibiotics without a prescription [17]. Comparable numbers were also recorded in different studies among the general populations in Europe where rates ranged between 10% and 45% in countries like Britain, Greece, Italy, and Macedonia [18][19][20][21].…”