­ A survey of patient behaviours and beliefs regarding antibiotic self-medication for respiratory tract infections in Poland

Abstract

IntroductionSelf-medication can contribute to the inappropriate use of antibiotics in respiratory tract infections (RTI). This phenomenon has not been well described, particularly in Poland. The aim of our study was to describe the prevalence of antibiotic self-medication for RTI, to explore factors influencing antibiotic use without prescription, and to determine the available sources of such antibiotics.Material and methodsA self-administered questionnaire completed by patients presenting to family medicine clinics at Lodz and Wroclaw from 1st March to 15th May 2010.ResultsA total of 891 patients in ten clinics completed the survey (response rate, 89.1%). Overall, 41.4% (n = 369) of patients reported self-medication with an antibiotic for RTI. The most common reason for antibiotic self-medication was a belief that antibiotics treat the majority of infections, including influenza and influenza-like illnesses (43.9%; n = 162). The predominant sources of antibiotics for self-medication were antibiotics from previous prescriptions stored by the patient at home (73.7%, n = 272), those received from a pharmacy without prescription (13.5%; n = 50), or from family members and friends (12.7%; n = 47).ConclusionsAntibiotic self-medication for RTI was common in this population. This may be due to the belief that the antibiotics treat the majority of infections. A recommendation to either ask patients to return unused antibiotics to the physician's office or to dispense antibiotics in the exact amount which is necessary for an individual course, as well as the targeted education of pharmacy personnel and the general population, appear to be justified.

Patient expectation trends on receiving antibiotic prescriptions for respiratory tract infections: A systematic review and meta‐regression analysis

“…A study conducted in the Netherlands reported that approximately half of the respondents believed that antibiotics are effective for treatment of viral infections . Another study in Poland showed that inappropriate belief of effective antibiotic therapy for RTIs has led to self‐medication in patients . Furthermore, older parents with lower education level and also prior experience of receiving antibiotics, have higher expectation to receive antibiotics for their children .…”

Association between public knowledge regarding antibiotics and self-medication with antibiotics in Teling Atas Community Health Center, East Indonesia

“…Respondents' levels of knowledge were classified into 3 categories, i.e. low (score 0-4), moderate (score 5-9), and high (score [10][11][12][13][14]. Before being used for the survey, the questionnaire had been pretested to 30 individuals whose characteristics were similar to the study population in order to verify the clarity of the language used and the questionnaire's structure.…”

“…5,6,8,13,14 Unfortunately, those data are still limited in Indonesia, and most of the studies were conducted in Java.…”

Knowledge and behaviors in relation to antibiotic use among rural residents in Anhui, China

“…Demand side plays an important role in antibiotics use. Specifically, beliefs and knowledge about antibiotics,behaviors (such as over‐the‐counter medication and self‐medication), patients' perceptions regarding patient‐doctor interaction, and patients' prior experience with antibiotics are possible demand‐side factors. In China, people can access antibiotics through a prescription by a physician, from pharmacies or drug stores, or through leftover stock from prior illnesses …”