Antibiotics Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviours among the Population Living in Greece and Turkey

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance is one of the largest threats to public health worldwide. As the inappropriate use of antibiotics is one of the leading causes of antibiotic resistance, it is important to have an understanding of the public’s knowledge, attitudes and behaviours towards antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance. The present study investigated the knowledge, attitudes and behaviours towards antibiotics among the public living in Greece and Turkey using an online cross-sectional survey, with social media advertising (e.g., Facebook) and snowball sampling. In total, 709 individuals completed the survey (Greece n = 309, Turkey n = 400), with an average age of 34.2 (SD = 13.1) and 40.5 (SD = 14.7), respectively. In Greece, 49.4% of the participants were female, and in Turkey, this figure was 62.4%. The Greek respondents reported that obtaining antibiotics without a prescription was easier (52.6% reported “easy or very easy”) than the Turkish (35.6% reported “easy or very easy”) respondents did. This study reveals that Greek citizens were more educated and knowledgeable about antibiotics (58.5% of Greeks and 44.2% of Turks identified antibiotics correctly), their effects (20.9% of Greeks and 26.3% of Turks agreed with wrong statements about antibiotics) and the risks of antibiotic resistance, compared to those from Turkey. On the other hand, the Greek respondents were more prone to use leftover antibiotics or to give them to someone else later (p < 0.001). The findings of this study indicate that Greece and Turkey, both countries with high rates of antibiotic usage, exhibit distinct variations in their knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions concerning antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance. Effective countermeasures such as public campaigns should be targeted according to the population and those areas of knowledge, attitudes and behaviours in which the main shortcomings lie.

Antibiotic Use in Communities

“…Statistics show a vast geographical variation in community antibiotic use, even within European countries [4]. The studies included in this is Special Issue represent an impressive sample of nationalities and countries, including Americans [6], Cypriots (Greek and Turkish) [7], Dutch [8], Germans [9], Greeks [10], Italians [11], Syrians [12], Thai [13], and Turks [10]. Since antibiotic use and, consequently, antimicrobial resistance vary significantly between cultures and communities, it is essential to investigate the reasons behind excessive antibiotic use in as many countries and cultures as possible.…”

“…In addition, patients may expect and pressure physicians to prescribe antibiotics. Lajunen et al [10] and Sullman et al [7] investigated whether respondents had requested antibiotics from their physicians. Their findings indicate that 11.0% of respondents in Greece, 10.8% in Turkey, 18.8% in South Cyprus, and 6.8% in North Cyprus reported asking for antibiotic prescriptions [7,10].…”

“…Lajunen et al [10] and Sullman et al [7] investigated whether respondents had requested antibiotics from their physicians. Their findings indicate that 11.0% of respondents in Greece, 10.8% in Turkey, 18.8% in South Cyprus, and 6.8% in North Cyprus reported asking for antibiotic prescriptions [7,10]. Such pressure could lead physicians to adopt a more lenient policy on prescribing antibiotics in order to meet patient expectations.…”

Rational Drug and Antibiotic Use Status, E-Health Literacy in Syrian Immigrants and Related Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…The eHEALS consists of 8 items, and participants are asked to rate each item on a 5-point Likert scale (strongly disagree, disagree, undecided, agree, or strongly agree). Total scores range from 8 to 40, with higher scores indicating higher self-perceived eHealth [1,54]. eHEALS scores are divided into thresholds of inadequate (8-20 points), problematic (21-26 points) and adequate (27-40 points).…”

“…In our study, a 2-point version of the scale was used to identify those with eHealth literacy problems [1,19]. eHEALS psychometric tests show that it is a valid and reliable instrument and has also been translated, adapted and validated in Arabic [2,54].…”