Waseem Hajjar1, Sami Alnassar1, Sara Al-Khelb2, Sarah Al-Mutairi2, Norah Al-Refayi2, Sultan Ayoub Meo3. 1. Department of Thoracic Surgery, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 2. College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 3. Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To assess the awareness and causes of antibiotics use and misuse in patients with upper respiratory tract infections. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted at King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from January 2014 to December 2015, and comprised patients suffering from upper respiratory tract infections. A well-established, self-administrated questionnaire was randomly distributed to the patients. The questionnaire consisted of 3 parts: demographic variables, knowledge, and beliefs, and behaviour towards antibiotic use and misuse. SPSS 21 was used for data analysis. RESULTS: Of the 400 participants, 193(48.25%) were males and 207(51.75%) were females. Besides, 182(45.5%) participants used antibiotics without prescription (p=0.050) and 43(10.8%) used the mover a pharmacist's advice (p=0.030). Also, 69(17.3%) participants forced the physicians to prescribe antibiotic (p=0.014), and 207(51.7%) patients stopped taking antibiotics when they felt better (p=0.007). Moreover, 180(45%) had the antibiotic stocks at home in case of emergencies. In addition, 67(16.8%) were ignoring the instructions when taking antibiotics (p=0.004). Furthermore, 48(12%) participants denied that an antibiotic could cause an allergic reaction (p=0.054) and the same number of participants believed that the effectiveness of the treatment would not be affected if a full course of antibiotic was not completed (p=0.029). In addition, 29(7.3%) participants with high educational level believed that all antibiotics did not have side-effects (p=0.002) and 71(17.8%) of them believed that if symptoms were improving the antibiotic course could be interrupted without completing (p=0.037). CONCLUSIONS: Misconceptions existed about the use and indications of antibiotics.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the awareness and causes of antibiotics use and misuse in patients with upper respiratory tract infections. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted at King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from January 2014 to December 2015, and comprised patients suffering from upper respiratory tract infections. A well-established, self-administrated questionnaire was randomly distributed to the patients. The questionnaire consisted of 3 parts: demographic variables, knowledge, and beliefs, and behaviour towards antibiotic use and misuse. SPSS 21 was used for data analysis. RESULTS: Of the 400 participants, 193(48.25%) were males and 207(51.75%) were females. Besides, 182(45.5%) participants used antibiotics without prescription (p=0.050) and 43(10.8%) used the mover a pharmacist's advice (p=0.030). Also, 69(17.3%) participants forced the physicians to prescribe antibiotic (p=0.014), and 207(51.7%) patients stopped taking antibiotics when they felt better (p=0.007). Moreover, 180(45%) had the antibiotic stocks at home in case of emergencies. In addition, 67(16.8%) were ignoring the instructions when taking antibiotics (p=0.004). Furthermore, 48(12%) participants denied that an antibiotic could cause an allergic reaction (p=0.054) and the same number of participants believed that the effectiveness of the treatment would not be affected if a full course of antibiotic was not completed (p=0.029). In addition, 29(7.3%) participants with high educational level believed that all antibiotics did not have side-effects (p=0.002) and 71(17.8%) of them believed that if symptoms were improving the antibiotic course could be interrupted without completing (p=0.037). CONCLUSIONS: Misconceptions existed about the use and indications of antibiotics.