Antibiotic Self-medication Research Articles

Self-Medication Practices with Antibiotics and Associated Factors among the Public of Malaysia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BackgroundSelf-medication with antibiotics (SMA) is an important public health issue, which can result in the facilitated development of antibiotic resistance, and may increase the risk of inappropriate utilization of antibiotics. So, the objective of the present study was to estimate the prevalence rate of SMA and to also explore SMA practices among the lay population of Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia).MethodsThe current study was cross-sectional population-based and used a convenient sampling technique. Moreover, Lorenz’s formula was used to calculate the sample size and the required sample size was 480. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews with a pre-validated questionnaire and the study was conducted in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). Descriptive statistics, cross-tabulation, and logistic regression were executed by using SPSS version 24.ResultsOut of 480 participants, 45.8% were polled male and the prevalence of SMA in this study was found to be 15.1%. The majority of participants 23.1% indicated that they practiced antibiotics at least once in the last six months. The commonly self-medicated antibiotics were amoxicillin-clavulanate 20.6%, ampicillin/cloxacillin 14.2%, and levofloxacin 8.3%. Moreover, 64.8% of participants indicated that they bought their antibiotics from pharmacies. Whereas, most of the participants practice antibiotics to save money 19.2% and time 23.1%. Findings from multivariate logistic regressions showed that predictors of SMA were male gender, (95% CI: 0.300–0.877) occupation (95% CI: 0.122–10.797), health insurance (95% CI: 0.025–0.472), and education (95% CI: 0.084–0.800).ConclusionThe results of this study indicate that SMA persists among the community and education level has a significant impact on this behavior. Thus, concerning health management authorities should step in with developing legislation to stop this practice, and by implementing such interventions and policies to educate and to raise awareness about the risk of SMA for the future.

Trends in Antibiotic Self-Medication for Dental Pathologies among Patients in the Dominican Republic: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The World Health Organisation has warned of the increase in antibiotic resistance, estimating that by 2050 it could become the leading cause of death worldwide. Several studies and literature reviews show a correlation between antibiotic use and bacterial resistance, with unnecessary broad-spectrum antibiotics, such as amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and azithromycin, being one of the main causative factors. An interview-based survey of 2160 participants was conducted to assess the prevalence in the practice of self-medication with antibiotics among dental patients in the Dominican Republic. A series of open-ended questions regarding self-medication and class of antibiotics were put to the patients. Over a third of the study population (39.7%) admitted to the practice of antibiotic self-medication. Most of the respondents (58.4%) who indulged in self-medication were females, and it was prevalent in the older adults between 32–42 years old (36%). There was a negative correlation between age and self-medication practice (p < 0.001) observed with point biserial correlation test. Binary logistic regression analysis found an odds ratio of 0.97 (p < 0.001). The most consumed antibiotics were amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (52%), amoxicillin (31.1%), and azithromycin (10.1%). It is imperative to educate patients about the harmful effects of self-medication and to stress the need for governments to implement stricter laws on non-prescription drug availability.

Antibiotic Self-Medication and Risk Factors among Medical Students in an Iranian University: a Cross Sectional Study

Background: Self-medication with antibiotic is a widely prevalent practice all over the world especially among medical students. This study was aimed to evaluate the prevalence and the pattern of self-medication among medical students in Tehran, Iran. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted among the undergraduate medical students from a referral university in Tehran, Iran. All data obtained were analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences program (SPSS) version 20. Results: A total of 201 students were enrolled in the current study. According to the analysis, 129 (64.1%) of the study population reported that they have self-medicated with antibiotics at least once in their student life. The principal morbidities for seeking self-medication include cough and common cold (23.4%) followed by fever (14.9%). The most frequent antibiotics used to self-medicate the mentioned morbidities were: amoxicillin (62%), co-amoxiclav (19.4%), penicillin (17%), cefixime (16%), azithromycin (14%) and tetracycline (9%). The majority of the participants stated cost saving, convenience and lack of confidence as their reasons for self-medication. The drug selection was mostly based on opinion of family members (31.8%), their own experience (27.4%) and the least commonly reported was selection based on recommendation by net citizens (0.5%). Conclusion: Our study indicates that self-medication is widely practiced among students of the college. In this situation, the health care system should create as effective awareness and educate their students regarding advantages and disadvantages of self-medication.

Preliminary findings of a study on the practice of self-medication of antibiotics among the practicing nurses of a tertiary care hospital

ObjectivesAntibiotic resistance is indeed a global concern. It is of significant concern especially in the low-middle income countries because of the ease of accessibility, affordability, and absence of regulations pertaining to the dispensing of non-prescription antibiotics. This study aims to estimate the frequency and factors associated with the self-medication of antibiotics found among the practicing nurses. MethodsWe conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan from July 2016 to August 2016. ResultsOf the 48 recruited nurses, 60.4% (29/48) were practicing self-medication of antibiotics. There were slightly more male nurses (17/29) than their female counterparts. The most frequently used antibiotic was Amoxicillin/Clavulanic acid, which was reported by 72.4% (21/29) of the nurses. The most prominent factor urging the nurses for practicing self-medication of antibiotics was their perceived knowledge of antibiotics, as was the case with 72.4% (21/29) of the nurses. Fever (79.3%) and sore throat (65.5%) were the two most frequent health problems that prompted the nurses to practice antibiotics self-medication. An earlier experience of the use of antibiotics was reported by 51.7% (15/29) of the nurses. Only 20.7% (6/29) of the nurses completed the entire antibiotic course. The adverse effects of antibiotics were encountered by 41.4% (12/29) of the nurses, which included diarrhoea, nausea, and vomiting. ConclusionsThe self-medication of antibiotics is a frequent practice found among the practicing nurses in Karachi. It is a pressing concern and needs considerable attention from the healthcare authorities.

Üniversite Öğrencilerinde Kendi Kendine İlaç Kullanımı

Objective: Self-medication is an important self-care practice that creates different fields for pharmaceutical companies and reduces the state's health costs and the time spent by the physician. This study aims to determine the prevalence of self-medication practice among university students in Turkey, along with the effective factors and self-medication practices.&#x0D; &#x0D; Methods: With the aim of conducting a descriptive cross-sectional study, this study was conducted with the participation of 494 undergraduate students selected through a stratified random weight-proportional sample. The students were asked to fill in a self-report questionnaire form including introductory characteristics and self-medication practices. Analyses were carried out using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression.&#x0D; &#x0D; Results: Of the participants, 64.4% (n=318) were female and 35.6% (n=176) were male. The mean age was 20.9 ± 2.0 (18-29) years. It was determined that 15.8% (n=78) of the participants were using a prescription medication continuously due to a chronic disease. The prevalence of self-medication at any time was determined to be 81.6% (n=403). The prevalence of self-medication was found to be 84.9% in females and 75.6% in males (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.2-3.3, p=0.005). As a source of self-medication, 75.4% of the students (n=304) stated that self-medication drugs were previously prescribed by a physician. Of the participants, 27.5% (n=111) bought the medication by their own preferences and experiences. The most common self-medication symptoms of the participants were headache (90.8%) and common cold (59.8%). Other causes included muscle/joint pain, dysmenorrhea, and dyspeptic complaints. Self-medication drug groups were in the form of analgesics in 95.9% (n=259) of females and in 93.2% (n=123) of males. This was followed by cold drugs (58.2%), myorelaxants (47.5%), drugs with vitamin or mineral ingredients (41.8%), respectively. The prevalence of antibiotic self-medication was found to be 9.5% in the self-medication group and 7.7% for all participants. The thought of mild disease (77.6%) ranked first among the reasons for preferring self-medication. The prevalence of patient information leaflet reading behavior was 82.2% in the self-medication group. Due to self-medication, 8.2% (n=33) of the students experienced a adverse-effect at any time. The students in the self-medication group believed that there would not be serious adverse-effects caused by the OTC drugs even if they caused adverse-effect (30.5%) or that they would not cause any adverse-effects at all (3.8%). &#x0D; &#x0D; Conclusion : Self-medication is a common behavior among university students, with higher rates in females. Students practice this largely by relying on their previous experiences. They mostly prefer medicines previously given by their physicians for similar conditions. Opportunities must be used to inform people on OTC drugs.

Antibiotic Practices, Perceptions and Self-Medication Among Patients at a National Referral Hospital in Uganda.

BackgroundAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major global health concern with increasing reports of microorganisms resistant to most of the available antibiotics. There are limited data on antibiotic practices, perceptions and self-medication among Ugandans, necessitating this study.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among patients at Kiruddu National Referral Hospital, Kampala, Uganda. A pre-tested interviewer administered a questionnaire that was used to collect data after an informed consent. Chi-square tests and logistic regression were used to assess associations between outcome and exposure variables. A P<0.05 was statistically significant.ResultsA total of 279 patients (response rate=71%) with a median age of 32 years participated in the study. The majority were females (55.6%, n=155) and from the outpatient department (74.9%, n=209). Overall, 212 (76%) participants had taken an antibiotic in the past 6 months, and some 22.2% (n=47) of the participants had practiced self-medication. Male participants (adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=2.13, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.01 to 4.50, P=0.046) and Muslims (aOR=4.37, 96% CI:1.54 to 12.44, P=0.006) were more likely to self-medicate. Employees (aOR=0.06, 95% CI:0.01 to 0.51, P=0.010) and patients with tertiary education (aOR=0.14, 95% CI: 0.02 to 0.81, P=0.028) were less likely to practice self-medication. About 33% (n=70) of the participants had not completed treatment dosage during their last course of antibiotic treatment because of feeling better (60%, n=42), lack of money to purchase the medication (15.7%, n=11) and side effects (10%, n=7). Whereas 169 participants (79.7%) believed that not completing treatment would have an impact on their personal health, only 96 participants (45.3%) believed that this behaviour could affect the health of others.ConclusionAntibiotic misuse is significant among patients in Uganda. Continuous health education programs aimed at informing the public on antimicrobial resistance, and its dangers are recommended to curtail this challenge.

Enhancing the role of pharmacy students in appropriate use of antibiotics and preventing its resistance – a systematic review

Antibiotics are agents which are used to kill or inhibit growth of various bacterial infections. There is an increase in the availability of antibiotics over the counter which has been used inappropriately. Inappropriate usage of antibiotics ultimately results in the bacterial resistance leads to the therapeutic failure. They have broad spectrum of activity against the bacteria as well as the narrow spectrum where it acts against a specific group of bacteria. Both developed and non-developed countries are affected by the irrational use of antibiotics. Antibiotic resistance is accelerated by the misuse and overuse of antibiotics, as well as poor infection prevention and control. Pharmacists plays an ultimate role in preventing the self-medication, since self-medication can lead to adverse effects. Hence it is the role of the pharmacy students who would be the future pharmacists should not indulge themselves in inappropriate usage and dispensing of antibiotics. Many studies have been reported across the world which has shown that irrational self-medication of antibiotics were consumed in self-limiting diseases such as upper respiratory infection and allergic rhinitis. Pharmacy students also reports the irrational use of antibiotics in acute gastroenteritis and diarrhea. Prescribing and dispensing antibiotics according to the guidelines by the healthcare professionals helps in promoting the rational use of antibiotics. This study helps to understand the Pharmacy students’ knowledge, attitude and perception towards the antibiotic use and its resistance and their role in the appropriate use of the antibiotics and preventing its resistance. This study has also focused on the importance of the antimicrobial stewardship program and its benefits to the pharmacy students.

Self-medication Behavior with antibiotics: a national cross-sectional survey in Sri Lanka

ABSTRACT Background Antibiotic self-medication is common in low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to evaluate the Sri Lankan public’s knowledge about and attitudes toward antibiotic use and self-medication, and factors associated with self-medication. Methods A national cross-sectional, interviewer-administered, survey of a random household sample (N = 1100) was conducted. Factor analysis of the attitudinal items was conducted to investigate the factors associated with antibiotic self-medication. Results A response rate of ninety-one percent (n = 998) responded. Knowledge about antibiotics was poor (mean = 12.5; SD = 3.5; (scale 0–27)). Half had previously used an antibiotic once in the past three months. About 11% (108/998) had self-medicated the last time they took antibiotics; mostly obtained from a pharmacy (82%; 89/108). Three attitudinal factors were obtained, explaining 56.1% of the variance. Respondents were less likely to self-medicate if they did not support ease of access to antibiotics from pharmacies (p< 0.001) and situational use of antibiotics (p= 0.001); supported appropriate use of antibiotics (p= 0.003); and had greater knowledge about prescription requirements for antibiotics (p= 0.004). Conclusion There is limited knowledge about, and a high rate of self-medication with antibiotics.Factors contributing to self-medication could be addressed with appropriate public education campaigns, and policy changes.

Self-Medication with Antibiotics for Protection against COVID-19: The Role of Psychological Distress, Knowledge of, and Experiences with Antibiotics.

Self-medication with antibiotics is a major contributing factor to antimicrobial resistance. Prior research examining factors associated with antibiotic self-medication has focused on an individual’s knowledge about antibiotics, antibiotic usage practices, accessibility to antibiotic medication, and demographic characteristics. The role of psychological distress associated with perceived health risks in explaining antibiotic self-medication is less understood. This study was designed to address this knowledge gap in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. An online survey of 2217 participants was conducted at the height of the initial outbreak and revealed that 19.5% of participants took antibiotics to protect themselves from COVID-19. Multivariate logistic analysis examined the predictors of taking antibiotics for protection against COVID-19. An integrative framework developed from the results illustrates potential pathways and facilitating factors that may contribute to prophylactic self-medication with antibiotics. Specifically, COVID-19 pandemic-induced psychological distress was significantly positively related to self-medication. Preventive use of antibiotics was also facilitated by a lack of understanding about antibiotics, inappropriate antibiotics usage practices, the nature of the patient-doctor relationship, and demographic characteristics. The findings highlight that to combat antimicrobial resistance due to self-medication, interventions need to focus on interrupting entrenched behavioural responses and addressing emotional responses to perceived health risks.

Prevalence of antibiotic self-medication behavior and related factors among children aged 0 to 5 years

ABSTRACT Background: Self-medication behavior has great adverse effects on children. The aims of this study were to assess the prevalence of self-medication with antibiotics (SMA) among children aged 0–5 years and explore the related factors. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from 1 July 2019 to 31 July 2019 in Wuhan, Hubei Province (Central China). A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 1188 parents of children aged 0–5 years on sociodemographic characteristics, SMA among children, antibiotic knowledge and health beliefs of SMA. Results: Of the 1188 participants, 14.32% had self-medicated their children with antibiotics in the past 6 months. The higher the degree of perceived threat (OR = 0.94, 95%CI: 0.89–1.00) and self-efficacy (OR = 0.94, 95%CI: 0.89–0.98), the less likely parents were to self-medicate their children. On the contrary, the higher the degree of perceived barriers, the more likely parents were to self-medicate their children with antibiotics (OR = 1.058, 95%CI: 1.01–1.11). Conclusions: Health beliefs of parents were significantly associated with SMA among children. In addition to extensive health education, the Chinese government should also improve the accessibility and quality of health services to reduce the barriers of parental behavior change.

Large-scale survey of parental antibiotic use for paediatric upper respiratory tract infections in China: implications for stewardship programmes and national policy

Inappropriate use of antibiotics for upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) in Chinese children is rampant. Parents' decision-making processes with respect to treatment choices and antibiotic use for paediatric URTIs were investigated to identify key constructs for effective interventions that target the public. Data were collected between June 2017 and April 2018 from a random cluster sample of 3188 parents of children aged 0-13 years across three Chinese provinces, representing different stages of economic development. Risk factors of parents' treatment choices and antibiotic use for paediatric URTIs were assessed using binary and multinomial logistic regressions, adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics. A total of 1465 (46.0%) children of the 3188 parents who self-diagnosed their children with a URTI were given antibiotics, with or without prescription. Among these children, 40.5% were self-medicated with antibiotics by their parents and 56.1% obtained further antibiotic prescriptions at healthcare facilities. About 70% of children (n=2197) with URTI symptoms sought care; of these, 54.8% obtained antibiotic prescriptions and 7.7% asked for antibiotic prescriptions, with 79.4% successfully obtaining them. Those perceiving antibiotics as effective for treating the common cold and fever (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=1.82[95% confidence interval, 1.51-2.19] and 1.77[1.47-2.13], respectively), who had access to non-prescription antibiotics (aOR=5.08[4.03-6.39]), and with greater perceived severity of infection (aOR=2.01[1.58-2.56]), were more likely to use antibiotics. Multifaceted, context-appropriate interventions are vital to untangle the perpetual problem of self-medication, over-prescription and ill-informed demands for antibiotics. The findings in this study emphasise the need to prioritise interventions that enhance clinical training, neutralise the pressure from patients for antibiotics, educate on appropriate home care, discourage antibiotic self-medication and improve antibiotic dispensing.

PERCEPTION REGARDING SELF-MEDICATION OF ANTIBIOTICS IN GENERAL PUBLIC SECTOR UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN PUNJAB: A COMPARISON BETWEEN MEDICAL AND NON-MEDICAL STUDENTS

Self-medication with antibiotics is a most rapidly emerging problem especially in developing countries like Pakistan. Antibiotics are easily accessible to the general public without consulting any practitioner even without prescriptions. So there are many risks linked to the inappropriate use of antibiotics. The main aim of this study was to assess the wrong practice of self-medication in public sector universities of southern Punjab. The current study also compares the self-medication practices in various departments of universities. A validated questionnaire was used to collect data. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data and inferential statistics (chi-square test). The study was included data from 900 students including both males and females from various departments. Among 900 students, 450 students of medical while 450 were non-medical students. Frequency of self-medication was found to 57 %. The antibiotics more frequently use for self-medication were Augmentin (37 %), Amoxicillin (23 %). Fever and cough were the most frequent indication for the use of self-medicated antibiotics. Because of their sufficient knowledge of pharmacology, most students were self-medicated (40%). Academic knowledge is the principal source of antibiotic information (60%). Just (39%) of the students thought that self-medication is part of the self-core, 31% of the students perceived that the availability of non-prescription drugs could prevent the growing trend of self-medication with antibiotics. 30% of students perceived that antibiotics were aware of the harms of self-medication or informed about them. Based on this study, it can be concluded that a high proportion of medical students and non-medical students use antibiotics without medical prescription and such practices are more common in the general public sector.

A One Health Approach to Compare Self-Prescribed Antibiotic Use across Rural and Semi-urban Populations in San Lucas Tolimán, Guatemala.

Antimicrobial resistance resulting from antibiotic overuse represents an increasing public health challenge. The purpose of this study was to investigate antibiotic self-medication practices in a rural, indigenous Guatemalan population, and to compare self-prescribing patterns in rural and semi-urban populations using a One Health integrated approach, a framework acknowledging that health arises at the interface of humans, animals, and the environment. We conducted a mixed methods study using semi-structured interviews in and around San Lucas Tolimán, Guatemala. Antibiotic self-medication was common in both rural and semi-urban populations, regardless of demographic characteristics. Antibiotic usage in animals, while less common, almost always occurred without a veterinary consult. Although subjects recognized that self-medication could be harmful to health, they face significant barriers to accessing appropriate care. These patterns of use have impacts on the rise of antimicrobial resistance locally, and have the potential to contribute to the spread of such resistance globally.

Prevalence and pattern of antibiotics self-medication among medical students

Background: Self-medication is the practice of intake of medicines to treat a self-diagnosed medical condition on their own or with help of a pharmacist, but without proper advice or prescription from a medical. Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria change in response to the use of these medicines. Medical students though not having legal permit to prescribe medicines, but have an inevitable urge of self-medication practice for themselves and also for others as they are going through the professional course with gradual acquirement of knowledge. Aims and Objectives: The aims of the study were as follows: (i) To estimate the prevalence of antibiotic self-medication among medical students and (ii) to assess the pattern of antibiotic self-medication. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted for 8 months a tertiary care center in Tumkur, Karnataka. Ethical committee approval taken with prior permission from the institutional head. Data were collected from the consented medical student. Data were collected by face-to-face interaction using a validated questionnaire consisting of eight questions regarding perception, 24 questions regarding practice, and eight questions regarding pattern of antibiotic use in the previous 12 months. Results: A total of 350 students were interviewed personally among which 191 (54.07%) were male and 159 (45.92%) were female. Mean age of the students was 20.4 years with a minimum of 18 and maximum of 22. Regarding awareness of self-medication of antibiotics, majority of the respondents (n = 273; 78%) had some knowledge about definition of self-medication. Three hundred and thirty-four reported (95.4%) that they had experienced at least one illness. Of them, 64.3% had common cold, 56.2% had headache, 34.3% had abdominal pain, 45% had sore throat, and 44.1% had fever. Some students had overlapping illness too. Prevalence of antibiotic self-medication was 44.5%. Major sources of information regarding selection of antibiotics were found to be previous doctor prescription. Conclusion: Study concluded higher rate of prevalence of antibiotic self-medication. Without proper knowledge, there is uncontrolled misuse of antibiotics among students with medical background. With the emergence of antibiotic resistance and rampant misuse of antibiotic, there is an urgent need for educating students at the board level. India as a developing country, immediate precautionary measures has to be taken to prevent selling antibiotics by the pharmacy without any valid prescription.

Evaluation of knowledge, attitude and self-medication practice of antibiotics among medical students

Background: Antibiotics are important and essential armamentarium against bacterial infections. Resistance to antibiotics is an emerging global public health problem, attributed to many factors, including injudicious use. Medical students in India have been taught about the microbes as well as pharmacological aspects of antibiotics in their second professional year by microbiology and pharmacology departments respectively. But the knowledge acquired would be incomplete if the application aspects are found wanting, like self-medication practice.Objectives1. To evaluate the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) towards antibiotic usage among undergraduate medical students 2. To understand the effect of curriculum on their knowledge regarding antibiotic use.3. To identify gaps in knowledge, attitude and practice among medical students from antibiotic use perspective. 4. To assess the self-medication of antibiotics among the students. Methods: A cross sectional Questionnaire based survey was done over a period of two months (July – August, 2019) in Government Villupuram Medical College on medical students who had completed their second professional year. Out of 204 prefinal and final year M.B.B.S students; 150 were selected based on homogeneous, purposive sampling. Validated Questionnaire for KAP (Knowledge, Attitude and Self-medication Practice) with respect to antibiotic use was administered and responses were collected. Results: Almost all had adequate knowledge about rational use of antibiotics as per 10-item Questionnaire (48.6% scored 10 out of 10; 42.6% scored 9/10; 6.6% scored 8/10 and 1.3% scored 7/10). Results for attitude aspect showed that most agreed that antibiotic resistance was a major public health problem and antibiotics were freely available. For 64% of study population newer antibiotics were more efficacious whereas 48% stated costly drugs were more efficacious. 45.3% of students self-medicated themselves with antibiotics without consulting a doctor in the previous year.Conclusion: The results revealed that theoretical knowledge and attitude about antibiotic usage translated inadequately into practice, necessitating interventions from clinical departments so that when medical students enter internship as well as after completion of the course, they start using antibiotics judiciously.

Prevalence of antibiotic use among medical students in Iraq

Background: Self-medication with antibiotics is one of health problems that lead to drug resistance. The impact of antimicrobial resistance includes prolonged illness, prolonged stay in hospital, expensive medications may be required. Antibiotics misuse prevalence was registered worldwide. In Iraq, previous review study demonstrated high prevalence of antibiotic misuse among Iraqi population in different regions ranging from (45%- 92%). Objective: Aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of antibiotics use among medical students in private university in Bagdad. Method: Descriptive cross- sectional study was carried out on (271) students of medical colleges in Al-Bayan University during April 2020. Students were asked to participate in this study by using electrical questionnaire (google forms) and they informed about the aim of the study. Results: A total of (271)of medical students participated in the study,( 51.1%) of them were female and (49.8%) were male and the majority in 19-24 years age group. The prevalence of self- medication with antibiotics during one year prior to the study was ( 83.7% ). Common cold (31.3%) and sore throat( 27.9%) were the most conditions for which antibiotics used and penicillin was the most popular antibiotic for self- medication . The reason for using antibiotics without prescription was their previous experience with antibiotics (49.8%). The majority of them(34.3%) used antibiotics for 1-3 days only or until the symptoms disappear( 33%). Their source of information was from physician (34.8%) and pharmacist (30.5%). Conclusion: This study revealed a higher rate of antibiotics self-medication among medical students which considered as a health problem. This needs educational intervention about rational use of antibiotics for the university students and for the general public.

Prevalence of ‘unused’ antibiotics at homes in a central Indian district

Introduction: Irrational use including non-compliance with prescribed antibiotics is most crucial determinants for the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance. The aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence of ‘unused’ antibiotics among households. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 2400 households of District Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the study results. Results: The prevalence of unused antibiotics among surveyed households was 17.9%. Most common age group for which unused antibiotics were initially prescribed was 0-5 year of age. The major source of unused antibiotics was a public hospital (59.9%), followed by self-medication (29.6%). A total of 1,470 tablets/capsules of antibiotics were found lying unused in the surveyed homes. Conclusion: Non-compliance with prescribed medicines and self-medication of antibiotics is a troublesome problem. More sophisticated research is needed to evaluate factors involved in the irrational use of antibiotics. Keyword: Antibiotics, Homes, India, Unused.

Identifying the commonly used antibiotics for self-medication in urban Mozambique: a qualitative study

ObjectivesThe study aimed at identifying the commonly used non-prescribed antibiotics (NPAs) and the main health conditions leading to the practices of self-medication with antibiotics (SMAs) in Maputo city, Mozambique.DesignCross-sectional qualitative...

Antibiotic self-medication and knowledge about antimicrobial resistance among medical and non-medical students of the University of Dodoma, Tanzania

Background: Antibiotic misuse and overuse are the major driving factors of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). High-income countries have been conscious of the problem for several years, while Tanzania shows the increasing trend of self-medication with antibacterial drugs. This study aimed to compare the antibiotics use practice and awareness about AMR among undergraduate students of the largest Tanzanian university. Methods and materials: Self-administered questionnaires were distributed among 2nd year medical (MDS) and non-medical students (non-MDS) at the University of Dodoma, Tanzania. A total of 356 respondent's answers were analyzed in the study. Statistical analysis was done by using MedCalc statistical software. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Non-MDS were more prone to use self-medication with antibiotics compared to MDS group: 46.2% and 35.1%, respectively (OR 1.58, 95%CI: 1.0 to 2.5). Among them, 45.5% of non-MDS and 49.2% of MDS reported an inability to visit a doctor as the main reason for the self-treatment. Moreover, non-MDS replied that they did not attend the doctor for financial reasons (OR 4.64, 95%CI: 2.05 to 10.46). Most students relied on a previous experience to choose medicine type: 76.3% MDS and 57.6% non-MDS (OR 2.36, 95%CI: 1.09 to 5.13). The next most common approach, notably popular among Tanzanian students, was to follow Pharmacist's recommendations: 22% MDS and 24.2% non-MDS. All surveyed participants demonstrated a high level of awareness regarding the antibiotic indications. However, less than half of MDS (46.2%) knew about AMR, and only 19.1% of non-MDS were familiar with the problem (OR 3.63, 95%CI 2.22 to 5.95). Furthermore, 48.8% of MD and 27.3% of non-MD students did not finish an entire course of antibiotics (OR 2.54, 95%CI 1.58 to 4.09) and stopped taking a drug mainly when the symptoms of disease disappeared. Analysis of antibiotic trends showed Ampicillin, Amoxicillin and others from Penicillin group to be the most popular among Tanzanian undergraduates. However, many students confused antibiotics, pain killers and antiallergic medicines. Conclusion: Our findings indicated the high rate of self-medication with antibiotics and AMR illiteracy among undergraduate students that proved the necessity of educational programs, antibiotic use guidance and the control of sales of antibiotics in the country.

Erythromycin Resistance in Bacterial Isolates from Patients with Respiratory Tract Infections in Ikere-Ekiti, Nigeria

Abstract The occurrence of erythromycin resistance in bacteria causing respiratory tract infections varies among populations and is associated with inappropriate antibiotic usage. This study was undertaken to determine erythromycin resistance in bacterial isolates from patients with respiratory tract infections in Ikere-Ekiti. Bacteria were isolated from sputum specimens using standard microbiological protocols while the antibiotic susceptibility pattern of isolates was determined using the Kirby-Bauer method. Erythromycin resistance genes: mefA, ermA, and ermB were detected using multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Out of the 157 bacterial isolates identified using standard microbiological methods, Klebsiella spp. 40 (25%) was the most frequent followed by Staphylococcus aureus 34 (22%) and Proteus spp. 34 (22%) while Streptococcus spp., Escherichia coli, and Bacillus spp. had 19 (12%), 20 (13%), and 10 (6%) respectively. Most of the bacterial isolates were resistant to penicillin 148 (94%), cloxacillin 147 (93.6%), amoxicillin-clavulanic acid 141 (90%), erythromycin 141 (90%), and tetracycline 124 (79%). However, the isolates were least resistant to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole 57 (36%). Out of the 48 bacterial isolates investigated using multiplex PCR amplification for erythromycin resistance genes, 10 (20.8%) were positive for mefA, 3 (6.3%) were positive for ermA, and 2 (4.2%) were positive for ermB. The association between the presence of mefA, ermA, and ermB genes and erythromycin resistance was not significant (p=0.464). The presence of erythromycin resistant genes in pathogenic bacterial isolates from the respiratory tract was revealed in this study. Awareness of the risk of self-medication and abuse of antibiotics should be emphasized.