Parental Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices on Antibiotics use for Childhood Upper Respiratory Tract Infections in Kicukiro District, Rwanda

Abstract

Parents’ knowledge and expectations towards antibiotics use for children’s Upper Respiratory Tract Infections are contributing factors of antibiotics misuse and the latter leads to the antimicrobial resistance. Thus, this study aimed at assessing parents’ knowledge, attitudes and practices on antibiotics use for childhood URTIs in Kicukiro District, Rwanda. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a structured questionnaire for data collection from a sample size of 384 parents of under 12 years of age children attending selected Health Centers in Kicukiro District. (SPPS) version 21 was used for data analysis; Chi-square test and regression analysis were used to examine the association between dependent and independent variables. The study findings indicated that 88.5% of parents were female, 39.6% aged from 25 to 34 years, 81.8% were married, 42.2% completed secondary education, 50% had 2 to 4 children and 57% were in economic class 2. Only 23.2% of parents had high level of knowledge of antibiotics; 40.1% had positive attitudes and 62% had poor practices towards antibiotics use for childhood URTIs. Employed parents with increased level of education, in higher economic position demonstrated good practices towards antibiotics use. Parents’ high level of knowledge and positive attitudes regarding antibiotics use had also good practices on antibiotics with AOR=13.371, 95% CI= [3.604-49.617], p<0.001, and AOR=0.309, 95% CI=[0.96-0.489], p<0.001 respectively, compared to their corresponding counterparts. In conclusion, majority of parents in Kicukiro District had low level of knowledge of antibiotic use, negative attitudes towards antibiotic use and poor practices towards antibiotics utilization for childhood URTIs. Factors associated with good parental practices towards ABs use for children’s URTIs include having 5 or more children, higher education, employment, high economic class, high knowledge of antibiotics and positive attitudes towards ABs use. Health education for parents should be urgently done to reduce antibiotics misuse by raising awareness on their indications of antibiotics, side effects and the emergence of antimicrobial resistance. Keywords: Antibiotics, Attitudes and Knowledge, Children, Misuse, Parents, Kicukiro District, Rwanda