Kong Lai San, Islahudin Farida, Muthupalaniappen Leelavathi, Chong Wei Wen
Centre of Quality Management of Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, 50300, Malaysia.
Department of Family Medicine, Medical Faculty, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, 56000, Malaysia.
Patient Prefer Adherence. 2021 Nov 2;15:2405-2416. doi: 10.2147/PPA.S328890. eCollection 2021.
Identifying knowledge gaps regarding antibiotic use and resistance is important for future interventional strategies. There is limited information on Malaysia's general public's knowledge and expectations on antibiotic use.
To assess the knowledge of antibiotic use and resistance, expectations from antibiotic prescription, and identify inappropriate practices related to antibiotic use among Malaysia's general public.
A nationwide cross-sectional survey was conducted among Malaysians aged 18 years and above from each state, from May to November 2019. Participants were recruited via quota sampling, followed by convenient sampling. A validated self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data.
Of the 1971 respondents recruited, 56.6% had engaged in at least one inappropriate practice; particularly, not completing the antibiotic course (48.8%). The mean total knowledge score was 8.57±4.24 (total 20). The majority incorrectly believed that antibiotics work on viral infections (79.1%) and colds and coughs (77.0%). Less than half of them believed that antibiotics could be stopped when symptoms improved (42.8%). Most respondents incorrectly perceived that antibiotic resistance occurs when the body becomes resistant to antibiotics (90.2%) and antibiotic resistance is not an issue in the country (62.9%). More than half the participants expected antibiotics to be prescribed for self-limiting symptoms (fever: 62.9%, sore throat: 57.2%, cold or flu: 50.9%). Respondents with better knowledge were less likely to engage in inappropriate antibiotic use (never engaged: 9.26±4.40 versus had engaged: 8.11±4.00, p<0.001), and expect doctors to discuss with them the need for antibiotics (agree/strongly agree: 9.03±4.25 versus neutral: 6.62±3.91 versus disagree/strongly disagree: 8.29±4.00, p<0.001).
Knowledge gaps in the role of antibiotics and understanding of antibiotic resistance should be considered whtpen designing future educational strategies for the general public.
识别抗生素使用和耐药性方面的知识差距对于未来的干预策略很重要。关于马来西亚公众对抗生素使用的知识和期望的信息有限。
评估抗生素使用和耐药性的知识、对抗生素处方的期望，并识别马来西亚公众中与抗生素使用相关的不当行为。
2019年5月至11月，在每个州对18岁及以上的马来西亚人进行了一项全国性横断面调查。通过配额抽样招募参与者，随后采用方便抽样。使用经过验证的自填式问卷收集数据。
在招募的1971名受访者中，56.6%至少有过一种不当行为；特别是，未完成抗生素疗程（48.8%）。知识总平均分是8.57±4.24（满分20分）。大多数人错误地认为抗生素对病毒感染（79.1%）以及感冒和咳嗽（77.0%）有效。不到一半的人认为症状改善后可以停用抗生素（42.8%）。大多数受访者错误地认为当身体对抗生素产生耐药性时就会出现抗生素耐药性（90.2%），并且认为抗生素耐药性在该国不是问题（62.9%）。超过一半的参与者期望为自限性症状开具抗生素（发烧：62.9%，喉咙痛：57.2%，感冒或流感：50.9%）。知识水平较高的受访者不太可能有不当的抗生素使用行为（从未有过：9.26±4.40，有过：8.11±4.00，p<0.001），并且期望医生与他们讨论使用抗生素的必要性（同意/强烈同意：9.03±4.25，中立：6.62±3.91，不同意/强烈不同意：8.29±4.00，p<0.001）。
在为公众设计未来的教育策略时，应考虑抗生素作用方面的知识差距以及对抗生素耐药性的理解。
