Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Parents Towrds the Use of Antibiotics in Children

Abstract

Emerging infectious illnesses can potentially have a more direct impact on everyone. Infectious illnesses demand increased attention since they contribute to high rates of morbidity and death worldwide. The misuse of antibiotics is a major contributor to the events of resistance. This study aims to understand parents' knowledge, attitudes, and practice particularly regarding the use of antibiotics. This will help in understanding and improving medication adherence, reduce the risk of antibiotic resistance, and promote rational antibiotic usage among children. An observational study was conducted in the inpatient department of Paediatrics of ESIC MC & PGIMSR hospital, Bengaluru. All the subjects (n = 88) meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria were briefed about the purpose of the study, and informed consent was obtained using a self-designed data collection form and questionnaires. The collected data were entered, and appropriate descriptive and statistical analysis was performed. The study found that the majority of the interviewees belonged to the age group of 28 to 34 (34%). The majority of parents involved in the study were found to be mothers. Among the parents included in the study, 52% of the parents had moderate knowledge, 45% had a poor attitude, and 37% had poor practices toward the use of antibiotics. 29% of the parents were found to have poor medication adherence. A Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation was performed to find the association between knowledge, attitude, and practice with variables such as knowledge, attitude, practice, age of the patient, age of parent, education, occupation, and siblings present. It did not show a significant association between KAP and medication adherence. There is a need to encourage patients to ask questions and be made aware of the programs provided about antibiotics and other medications to improve the health conditions of the patients and to encourage them to follow appropriate norms to stay healthy and to improve their immunity to avoid death or prolonged ill health by drug resistance in adults, children, or future generations.