Knowledge, Attitude and Behavior regarding Antibiotics Misuse and Use among Medical Students of Public Sector Medical College of Faisalabad

Abstract

Background: Antibiotic resistance is a critical issue that needs to be addressed, especially in a developing country like Pakistan. Overuse of antibiotics has rendered life-saving drugs ineffectual, creating a major dilemma for local hospitals. Objective: To assess and evaluate the knowledge, attitude and behavior regarding antibiotics misuse among medical students. Study Design: An Observational descriptive study. Settings: The medical students of public sector medical college of Faisalabad Pakistan. Duration: After getting approval of the ethical committee, the duration of study was 5 weeks. Methodology: 200 students were interviewed according to the pattern of the questionnaire. Results: 82% of students were most likely to use antibiotics during common viral infections. However, 88.5% knew about the consequences of antibiotics misuse i.e. antibiotic resistance, but still 53.50% sought non-prescribed antibiotics from medical stores and 60.5% of them didn’t complete the antibiotics course recommended by their doctors.40.50% of students admitted to self-medicate themselves on antibiotics twice a year. Conclusion: Efforts are necessary to persuade the health education programs to inform the general public and health care workers about the long-term hazards of antibiotic resistance.