Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance is a serious global health concern. It has considerable implications on societies' health and resources. In Jordan, there is a large Iraqi community due to the ongoing turmoil in Iraq. Unfortunately, health awareness and practices of this community are under-investigated due to scarcity of research. This paper assesses the awareness of antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance in the Iraqi community residing in Amman, Jordan. Their level of interaction with health care professionals regarding antibiotics and differences in their antibiotic use between Iraq and Jordan are also discussed. A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey involving randomly selected Iraqis residing in Amman, Jordan was conducted. The study involved 508 participants. Sixty-two percent of participants agreed with buying antibiotics without a prescription, 29% agreed with obtaining antibiotics from friends or relatives, and 46% agreed with keeping leftover antibiotics for future use. Furthermore, 60% disagreed with not completing an antibiotic course and almost 90% of the sample listed viral diseases as an indication for antibiotics. Forty-four percent of participants abided by physicians' instructions on antibiotic use. Half of the participants believed that pharmacists provided instructions on antibiotics all the time, whereas physicians were perceived to do so by 29% of participants. Gaps exist in knowledge of antibiotic use and reasons for antimicrobial resistance among Iraqis residing in Jordan. These gaps should serve in planning educational campaigns to raise the community's awareness of responsible antibiotic use. Law enforcement to restrict access to antibiotics is also pivotal to tackle their misuse.

Highlights

  • Antimicrobial resistance is a serious global health concern

  • The participants who agreed to answer the questionnaire in this study were 510 adult Iraqis residing in Amman, Jordan; there was a response rate of 100%

  • The level of awareness of antibiotic use and causes of antimicrobial resistance in this study shows gaps

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Summary

Introduction

Antimicrobial resistance is a serious global health concern. It has considerable implications on societies' health and resources. This paper assesses the awareness of antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance in the Iraqi community residing in Amman, Jordan. Their level of interaction with health care professionals regarding antibiotics and differences in their antibiotic use between Iraq and Jordan are discussed. A survey by Dale et al reported that 7% of the Iraqis residing in Jordan suffered acute conditions in 2007, which was comparable to the Jordanian population [12] Monitoring of their health status was stated to be difficult, attributable to their large number, scattered distribution, and the fact that a majority of them was not registered with the UNHCR [10]. This was augmented by the pattern in which they fled to Jordan, in large groups and over a short period of time

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