Evaluation of Healthcare Students’ Knowledge on Antibiotic Use, Antimicrobial Resistance and Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs and Associated Factors in a Tertiary University in Ghana: Findings and Implications

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major public health problem globally, and Ghana is no exception. Good knowledge regarding antibiotic use, AMR, and the concept of antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) is critical among healthcare students to curb rising AMR rates in the future. Consequently, a need to ascertain this. A cross-sectional survey was undertaken among fifth-year pharmacy, medical students and fourth (final)-year nursing and physician assistantship students at the University of Health and Allied Sciences in Ghana to assess their knowledge on antibiotic use, AMR and AMS using a web-based self-administered structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, Fishers’ exact test, and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed. A total of 160 healthcare students were interviewed, of which 56.3% (n = 90) were male and 58.8% (n = 94) were in their fourth year of study. Good knowledge of antibiotic use, AMR, and AMS was associated with the study course (p = 0.001) and the number of years of study (p < 0.001). Overall, there were differences in the level of knowledge of antibiotics among the different healthcare students and their years of study. Efforts must now be made to enhance the curricula to ensure an improved and uniform transfer of knowledge of antibiotics, AMR, and AMS among the different healthcare students to sustain the fight against AMR in Ghana given growing concerns.

Understanding of Final Year Medical, Pharmacy and Nursing Students in Pakistan towards Antibiotic Use, Antimicrobial Resistance and Stewardship: Findings and Implications

“…These findings regarding their knowledge of antibiotics and their use are similar to previous studies conducted among LMICs, as well as those among nursing students in Spain [72,74,75,82,84,85]. However, our findings are different from other studies in LMICs, where there have been concerns regarding the knowledge of HCP students with respect to antibiotics and AMR [65,73,80,[86][87][88][89]. Good knowledge regarding antibiotics, AMR and ASPs is important to help improve future utilization rates and reduce AMR, particularly in LMICs.…”

“…The reasons for the differences regarding the preparedness to undertake ASPs between the different student types and their ages are unclear, with no impact of other factors, including their gender, place of residence or family profession. These differences have been seen in other studies among LMICs [65,75]. This, however, may reflect differences in curricula between the different schools, as well as greater knowledge gained during training, with typically more training on antibiotics, AMR and ASPs in the later years, along with greater senior-level input [65,67,111].…”

“…These differences have been seen in other studies among LMICs [65,75]. This, however, may reflect differences in curricula between the different schools, as well as greater knowledge gained during training, with typically more training on antibiotics, AMR and ASPs in the later years, along with greater senior-level input [65,67,111]. Differences between the different university types may also reflect the greater academic staff to student ratios among private universities in Pakistan [112].…”

“…This was because they believed that they were not fully prepared to interpret appropriate microbiological results, when to start/stop antibiotics with correct doses and the concept of ASPs generally. There have been similar concerns regarding AMR and ASP awareness among students in African countries, as well as among HCPs in a number of LMICs [65,87,88,104,105]. This is an issue that needs to be urgently addressed given increasing concerns regarding the high rates of the inappropriate prescribing of antimicrobials and AMR in Pakistan [13,48,52,55,106].…”

“…The appropriate clinical care of patients depends upon the knowledge and attitudes of the HCWs, coupled with the implementation of certain standards of care to ensure safe and responsible practices [65][66][67]. Moreover, the WHO has stressed that awareness, training, appropriate use, diagnostic stewardship and surveillance, as well as coordination among HCWs, is necessary to combat rising AMR rates [68].…”