Public knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding antibiotics use in Punjab, Pakistan: a cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT

Objectives

Public awareness about antibiotics use is critical in antimicrobial resistance. We evaluated knowledge, attitudes, and practices among the general population of Punjab, Pakistan in this cross-sectional study.

Methods

We used a 50-item questionnaire to collect information on participant demographics, knowledge, and attitudes about antibiotics use and to evaluate the practices of taking antibiotics without a doctor’s prescription.

Results

Of the 2106 participants who completed surveys, 35.4% thought antibiotics could cure viral infections; 47.5% believed they are effective against cold and flu. Nearly 60% percent of respondents had self-medicated with antibiotics. Married people (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.285, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.004–1.643 p = 0.046), higher antibiotics use knowledge (AOR = 0.818, 95% CI: 0.674–0.993 p = 0.042), ever purchased antibiotics without a physician’s prescription (AOR = 2.024 95% CI: 1.674–2.457 p ≤ 0.001) and storing antibiotics at home (AOR = 0.801 95% CI: 0.652–0.985 p = 0.035) were significantly associated with self-medication practices.

Conclusions

A high proportion of inappropriate antibiotics use exists among the general population of Punjab. Interventions are needed to improve health literacy and supervise antibiotics sales in retail pharmacies.

KEYWORDS:

• Antibiotics awareness
• attitudes
• general population
• Pakistan
• practices

Article highlights

• This present study presents the real scenario of the general public views towards the antibiotics and antibiotic resistance in the given area of study.

• 60.2% of the total were having low levels of knowledge regarding antibiotic use.

• 68.4% of participants were classified as having a negative attitude towards antibiotic use.

• Over half (59.6%) of respondents reported self-medicating with antibiotics without a physician’s prescription on at least one occasion.

• Public should be indulged in the health literacy activities to decrease the self medication practices.

Acknowledgements

Open Access funding provided by the Qatar National Library.

Author contributions

Gillani AH, Nicoloson A, and Jairoun A conceptulized the study protocol. Gillani AH, Shukar S, Aslam F Khanum F collected the data. Gillani AH and Chang J analyzed the data. Gillani AH, Fang Y, and Mohamed Izham write and revised the manuscript. Fang Y supervised the whole study.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the “Young Talent Support Plan”; “High Achiever Plan” of Health Science Center; Xi’an Jiaotong University; and the Central University Basic Research Fund [2015qngz05].