Parental knowledge and practice on antibiotic use for upper respiratory tractinfections in children: a systematic review

Abstract

Background: Antibiotics are medications used for the treatment of bacterial infections. The misuse of antibiotics can lead to bacterial resistance. Upper respiratory tract infection is a common disease that is mostly caused by viral infections but often treated by antibiotics. The aim of this review was to investigate the level of knowledge and practice of parents on the use of antibiotics for their children in the treatment of upper respiratory tract infection. Methodology: This systematic review involved an online search to obtain the articles related to our subject. We used Google Scholar to search for articles related to the current subject. The search process included using several keywords to obtain all possible articles. Several criteria were set to select articles in this systematic review. Results: Of 40 articles obtained, we included only 12 articles as they fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were published after 2015. The articles were summarized according to the main points: publication year, country of study, number of parents, main findings of knowledge and practice, the percent and level of knowledge and practice, conclusion, and recommendations. Conclusion: There was inadequate knowledge among parents regarding antibiotics used for upper respiratory tract infections in children, which led to inappropriate practice.