Awareness of Antibiotic Use and Resistance in Jordanian Community

Abstract

Background The public awareness toward the causes and consequences of antibiotic resistance (AR) is crucial to mitigate the inappropriate use of antibiotics (ABs), particularly in the low- and middle-income countries. There was no previous study that assessed the awareness, attitude, and knowledge about antibiotic use and AR among the Jordanian public in affluent and deprived areas. Objective This study aimed to assess the awareness, attitude, and knowledge about antibiotic use and AR in affluent and deprived areas in Jordan. Setting The survey was conducted in November 2019 in Amman, the capital of Jordan. Method A cross-sectional questionnaire was used to survey households in their areas in each of West Amman (affluent region) and East Amman (deprived region), Households were selected using proportionate random sampling method. Results A total of 620 householders (310 per area) completed the questionnaire. Pharmacists were perceived as strong influencers on householders’ decision, as 80.32% (n = 465/580) of those who used antibiotics in the last year follow pharmacists’ advice. Our results showed poor understanding of antibiotic usage among the Jordanian public, as only 14.2% (n = 44/310) of the sample in West Amman and 2.9% (n = 9/310) in East Amman disagreed with the statement “ Antibiotics work on most coughs and colds.” Householders in West Amman showed much better understanding of AR compared to those in East Amman; 82.3% (n = 255/310) of West Amman respondents agreed with the statement “ Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria change in some way that reduces or eliminates the effectiveness of the antibiotic.” compared to 31.9% (n = 99/310) of East Amman respondents on the same statement ( P < .05). Conclusion The Jordanian community generally had poor knowledge and awareness toward antibiotics use and AR. Socio-economic factors could influence the public’s attitude toward antibiotics use and AR.

What the public in England know about antibiotic use and resistance in 2020: a face-to-face questionnaire survey

“…As in our study, studies globally show that the general public agree that antibiotic overuse contributes to antibiotic resistance,18 23 24 but far fewer understand about the spread of AMR,18 23 24 or think they can influence antibiotic use or AMR 25 26. There is higher misunderstanding about AMR, and the benefit of antibiotics in surveys in Africa and Asia,25 27–31 than in this UK study. A qualitative study with ‘diverse ethnic communities’ in Australia echoed many of the findings in our BAME participants, that is, lack of knowledge of and use of antibiotics, and mistrust in doctors who do not prescribe antibiotics32; the diverse ethnic communities additionally reported that poor antibiotic prescribing and overuse was normal in their home countries32; we did not ask participants about antibiotic practices in their native country.…”

Public Health Literacy, Knowledge, and Awareness Regarding Antibiotic Use and Antimicrobial Resistance during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…The percentage of the respondents in this study who reported using antibiotics in the previous month, in the previous 6 months, and a year ago (28.4%, 30.1%, and 9.8%, respectively) was lower than that of the general public in low-income countries (e.g., Egypt, Sudan, and Indonesia), as reported by a WHO multicountry survey [ 2 ]. In comparison with prior studies conducted in Jordan [ 25 , 42 ], the current study’s finding of a general decrease in antibiotic use can be attributed to the increased level of knowledge of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance, stringent public health measures (e.g., promoting social distancing measures), and increasing antibiotic use and resistance awareness programs. Additionally, as a result of public health prevention initiatives and the availability of telemedicine, people are attending outpatient clinics less frequently [ 43 ].…”

“…Previous research revealed that the Jordanian community has a general lack of information and awareness about antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance [ 42 ]. The current study, on the other hand, found that the participants were well aware of potential solutions to the problem of antibiotic resistance.…”

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Antimicrobial Uses and Resistance Among Public University Students in Bangladesh

“…31 Public awareness of antibiotic resistance is indispensable to mitigate this insidious problem. [39][40][41] As the World Health Organization (WHO) emphasized, the behavioral change towards the irrational use of antibiotics, otherwise any new addition to the antibiotic will become ineffective. 42 To understand the current public perception and habits, KAP-based studies on antibiotic prescribing, consumption, and antibiotic resistance are conducted in different countries on diverse groups, including medical students, university students, health workers, and common public.…”