Public hospital pharmacists' perceptions and knowledge of antibiotic use and aresistance: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to assess public hospital pharmacists' perceptions and knowledge, of antibiotic usage and resistance in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study design that was conducted on registered and pre-registered pharmacists working at public hospitals in Riyadh using a self-administrated printed questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of questions about demographics, knowledge, and perception of the pharmacists. Results: There were 313 pharmacists enrolled in this study, and there was no correlation between knowledge and either sex (p = 0.4) or age (p = 0.2), but there was a significant correlation between the pharmacy unit and the level of knowledge (p < 0.001). There were 93.6% of pharmacists who agreed and strongly agreed that antibiotics are overused and antibiotic resistance is a significant problem in the hospital. The most reported factor affecting the recommendation of the pharmacist was variability in the types and availability of antibiotics in the hospital. Conclusion: The pharmacists of public hospitals in Riyadh showed good perception and overall knowledge regarding the use of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance.