Abstract
Human microbiota have a significant impact on the health of individuals, and reciprocally, lifestyle choices of individuals have an important effect on the diversity and composition of microbiota. Studies assessing microbiota knowledge among the public are lacking, although it is hypothesized that this knowledge can motivate healthier behavior. Hence, this study aimed to measure microbiota knowledge among university students, and the effect of this knowledge on behavioral beliefs. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among students from various fields of study enrolled at the University of Jordan, using an online questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of 3 parts: demographics, general knowledge of microbiota, and behavioral beliefs related to microbiota. Four hundred and two responses were collected from verified university students. Participants were divided into two groups depending on whether they took a formal microbiology course (45 h) or not. Results from those two groups were compared using appropriate statistical methods. Results showed that most participants, even those who did not take a formal microbiology course, displayed good knowledge of what microbiota is and how they can be influenced by personal and environmental factors. Participants who took a microbiology course had significantly higher microbiota knowledge scores and were more aware of the effect of antibiotics on microbiota. Participants’ behavioral beliefs regarding their antibiotic use, but not their diet and lifestyle choices, were affected by their knowledge of microbiota. The study indicates that disseminating knowledge regarding microbiota and microbiology in general, can improve behaviors related to antibiotic use.
Highlights
Microorganisms have a great impact on human health and disease, whether as part of the microbiota on the skin, gut, and mucosal surfaces of humans, or as free-living infectious and non-infectious agents
Awareness of how microbes in general and microbiota can affect human health is important for individuals and societies alike, since this knowledge can influence lifestyle choices of individuals and guide decision-makers in forming their policies [16,21]
Because we did not find previous studies that assessed knowledge of microbiota in individuals outside of the healthcare field, statements that are understandable by participants who have basic knowledge in microbiology had to be generated, which proved to be challenging
Summary
Microorganisms have a great impact on human health and disease, whether as part of the microbiota on the skin, gut, and mucosal surfaces of humans, or as free-living infectious and non-infectious agents. The past few decades have witnessed great steps in the understanding of human microbiota, aided by molecular and biochemical tools that elucidated the diversity and variation of microbes across populations and health states [3]. The wealth of data available indicates that everyday choices regarding diet, exercise, and hygiene can affect human microbiota [4,5]. Perturbation of microbiota was shown to be associated with several diseases, such as inflammatory bowel diseases [8], atopic dermatitis [9], and cancer [10] among others
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