Knowledge, attitudes and practices concerning self-medication with antibiotics among university students in western China.
Trop Med Int Health
; 19(7): 769-79, 2014 Jul.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-24941883
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES:
To evaluate the knowledge, attitude and behaviours of university students on the use of antibiotics.METHODS:
A knowledge-attitude-practice questionnaire was developed and distributed to undergraduate students of Xi'an Jiaotong University, comprising 18 schools/colleges in Shaanxi Province, western China. Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were applied to identify risk factors associated with self-medication with antibiotics.RESULTS:
Of the 731 respondents (response rate = 73.1%), 294 (40.2%) had self-medicated with antibiotics in the past 6 months. Most of the antibiotics (59.2%) for self-medication were purchased without prescription in retail pharmacies. The median score of students' knowledge about antibiotics was 4 (IQR 3-6) of a maximum possible score of 10. Students had moderately accurate beliefs towards antibiotics. More than half of the students (56.5%) were storing antibiotics frequently. During self-medication, 16.7% of students claimed to have experienced adverse reactions, and 30.6% had used antibiotics to prevent common colds. The majority preferred to use broad-spectrum antibiotics, and nearly half preferred intravenous antibiotics. Over 44% of students had changed antibiotic dosage, and 36.5% had switched to another antibiotic during the treatment course. Logistic regression analysis identified college and home town as independent risk factors for self-medication with antibiotics (P < 0.01).CONCLUSIONS:
Undergraduate students had inadequate knowledge, moderately accurate beliefs and inappropriate practices concerning antibiotics, and a high rate of self-medication. This highlights the need for focused educational intervention and stricter governmental regulation concerning antibiotic use and sale in retail pharmacies.Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Self Medication
/
Students
/
Universities
/
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
/
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Type of study:
Etiology_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Qualitative_research
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Country/Region as subject:
Asia
Language:
En
Journal:
Trop Med Int Health
Journal subject:
MEDICINA TROPICAL
/
SAUDE PUBLICA
Year:
2014
Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
China