Public knowledge, attitude and practice towards antibiotics use and antimicrobial resistance in Saudi Arabia: A web-based cross-sectional survey

https://doi.org/10.4081/jphr.2021.2276
  • Ali Hassan A. Alnasser
    Department of Laboratory, Dhahran Eye Specialist Hospital, Ministry of Health, Dhahran 31942, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia.
    https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0081-1917
  • Jaffar A. Al-Tawfiq
    Infectious Disease Unit, Specialty Internal Medicine, Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA, Saudi Arabia.
    https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5752-2235
  • Hana Ahmed A. Ahmed
    Department of Internal Medicine, Military Hospital, Khartoum, Sudan, Sudan.
    https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2156-7869
  • Sarah Mohammed H. Alqithami
    Pharmacology & Toxicology Department, College of Pharmacy, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia.
  • Zahrah Mohammed A. Alhaddad
    Primary Health Centers, First Health Cluster in Eastern Province, Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia.
    https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5500-4023
  • Ahoud Said M. Rabiah
    Department of Medicine, Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia.
    https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5693-0317
  • Maryam Ali A. Albrahim
    Department of Dentistry, Dammam Medical Complex, Ministry of Health, Dammam, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia.
    https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1828-9108
  • Mohammed Sheker H. Al Kalif
    Department of Public Health, College of Public Health, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia, Technical and Vocational Training Corporation, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia.
    https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4621-1279
  • Mazin Barry
    Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, King Saud University and King Saud University Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia.
    https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2274-007X
  • Mohamad-Hani Temsah
    Pediatric Department, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon.
    https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4389-9322
  • Zahra Shaker H. Al-Kalaif
    Department of Ophthalmology, Dammam Medical Complex, Dammam, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia.
  • Rubayyi Faris B. Shahadah
    College of Dentistry, Taibah University, Madinah, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia.
    https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1373-1879
  • Khulud Khalid S. Alharb
    College of Applied Medical Science, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia, The Panuska College of Professional Studies, The University of Scranton, Scranton, PA, USA, Saudi Arabia.
    https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6245-7880
  • Aqeela Ali H. Alnasser
    Al-Awjam First Secondary School for Girls, Al-Qatif Girls Education Office, General Administration of Education in the Eastern Region, Ministry of Education, Qatif, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia.
    https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2549-0790

ABSTRACT

Background: Antimicrobial resistance is a global issue that causes significant morbidity and mortality. Therefore, this study aims to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of the general Saudi populations toward antibiotics use.

Design and methods: A cross-sectional, anonymous online survey was conducted from January 1 to May 11, 2020, across five major regions of Saudi Arabia. Participants (aged ≥18 years) were invited through social media to complete an online self-structured questionnaire. All data were analyzed by Statistical Package (SPSS v.25). Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s Chi-squared, t-tests, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Pearson correlation analyses were conducted.

Results: Out of 443 participants, the majority (n=309, 69.8%) were females, 294 (64.4%) were married, 176 (39.7%) were 25-34 years of age, 338 (76.3%) were living in the Eastern Province, 313 (70.7%) had college or higher education, 139 (31.4%) were not working, and 163 (36.8%) had a monthly income of USD 800-1330. Overall, most participants demonstrated good knowledge and practice (88% and 85.6%, respectively).  However, 76.8%had inadequate attitude score levels towards antibiotics use. Of all the respondents, 74.9% knew that not completing a full course of antibiotics may cause antibiotics resistance, 91.33% did not agree that antibiotics should be accessed without a prescription, and 94.04% will not hand over leftover antibiotics to family members. Factors associated with adequate knowledge were female, medical jobs, and higher income (p<0.05).

Conclusions: Our findings revealed that while most participants were aware of antibiotics use and demonstrated good knowledge, good practices, they had negative attitudes towards antibiotics use.

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHIES

Jaffar A. Al-Tawfiq , Infectious Disease Unit, Specialty Internal Medicine, Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA

2 Infectious Disease Unit, Specialty Internal Medicine, Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia

3 Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA

4 Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA

Hana Ahmed A. Ahmed, Department of Internal Medicine, Military Hospital, Khartoum, Sudan

5 Department of Internal Medicine, Military Hospital, Khartoum, Sudan

Sarah Mohammed H. Alqithami, Pharmacology & Toxicology Department, College of Pharmacy, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia

6 Pharmacology & Toxicology Department, College of Pharmacy, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia

Zahrah Mohammed A. Alhaddad, Primary Health Centers, First Health Cluster in Eastern Province, Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia

7 Primary Health Centers, First Health Cluster in Eastern Province, Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia

Ahoud Said M. Rabiah, Department of Medicine, Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Bahrain

8 Department of Medicine, Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Bahrain

Maryam Ali A. Albrahim, Department of Dentistry, Dammam Medical Complex, Ministry of Health, Dammam, Saudi Arabia

9 Department of Dentistry, Dammam Medical Complex, Ministry of Health, Dammam, Saudi Arabia

Mohammed Sheker H. Al Kalif, Department of Public Health, College of Public Health, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia, Technical and Vocational Training Corporation, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

10 Department of Public Health, College of Public Health, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia

11 Technical and Vocational Training Corporation, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Mazin Barry, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, King Saud University and King Saud University Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

12 Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, King Saud University and King Saud University Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Mohamad-Hani Temsah, Pediatric Department, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

13 Pediatric Department, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Zahra Shaker H. Al-Kalaif, Department of Ophthalmology, Dammam Medical Complex, Dammam, Saudi Arabia

14 Department of Ophthalmology, Dammam Medical Complex, Dammam, Saudi Arabia

Rubayyi Faris B. Shahadah, College of Dentistry, Taibah University, Madinah, Saudi Arabia

15 College of Dentistry, Taibah University, Madinah, Saudi Arabia

Khulud Khalid S. Alharbi, College of Applied Medical Science, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia, The Panuska College of Professional Studies, The University of Scranton, Scranton, PA, USA

16 College of Applied Medical Science, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia

17 The Panuska College of Professional Studies, The University of Scranton, Scranton, PA, USA

Aqeela Ali H. Alnasser, Al-Awjam First Secondary School for Girls, Al-Qatif Girls Education Office, General Administration of Education in the Eastern Region, Ministry of Education, Qatif, Saudi Arabia

18 Al-Awjam First Secondary School for Girls, Al-Qatif Girls Education Office, General Administration of Education in the Eastern Region, Ministry of Education, Qatif, Saudi Arabia

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