Public Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Regarding Antibiotic Use and Resistance in Türkiye: A Cross-Sectional Survey

OpenAlex İngilizce

Introduction: Antimicrobial resistance is common due to inappropriate and overuse of antimicrobial agents.This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the public about antibiotic use and resistance in Türkiye. Materials and Methods: In this study, a cross-sectional study design was used for a population-based survey. An online survey was conducted from June to September 2021.Results: 937 people (87.5%) responded to the questionnaire.About half of the respondents answered correctly that amoxicillin was an antibiotic and ibuprofen was not an antibiotic.31.8% of the respondents considered that antibiotics were effective against viruses.Most of the respondents (88.2%) disagreed with the idea that they would not be happy if the physician did not prescribe antibiotics.63.7% of the respondents declared that they never stopped using antibiotics when they believed they were cured. Conclusion:The study shows that the participants have a good attitude towards antibiotic use and resistance despite the lack of knowledge and practices.