When it came to the field of study, the majority were enrolled in business programs (34.1%). Notably, the majority of participants were in the age group 19–20 years old (36.8%), unmarried (96.0%), female (60.0%), and of Saudi nationality (94.5%). All the questionnaires were reviewed before entering the data into the analysis program.
3. Sample Size
A convenience sampling was employed to select participants based on accessibility and willingness to participate on campus, continuing until the required sample size was met. The sample was then proportionally allocated to each university. A multistage sampling method was used, first stratifying Riyadh universities as public or private (three universities for each). This study adhered to strict ethical guidelines. These findings highlight the pressing need for sustained antimicrobial stewardship efforts and strict enforcement of antibiotic regulations to mitigate the growing threat of AMR in the region.
- This scoring framework ensured consistency in evaluating participants’ antibiotic-related attitudes and practices, aligning with established methodologies to enhance reliability and comparability of results.
- University students in the Allied Health Sciences are uniquely positioned to influence patterns of antibiotic use, both as practitioners and educators.
- While our study primarily focused on university students within Riyadh, we acknowledge that nationality could indeed play a role.
- First, the reliance on self-reported data introduces risks of recall bias (e.g., inaccuracies in recalling past antibiotic use) and social desirability bias (over reporting adherence to guidelines), potentially compromising the validity of responses.
- Additionally, many individuals discontinue antibiotics as soon as they feel better rather than completing the full course, further exacerbating AR risks.
- Recent studies indicate that many individuals lack adequate knowledge about proper antibiotic use, contributing to the spread of resistance.
- While these trends align with regional studies, they contrast with European data 15,16,40,50,51, likely reflecting cultural or institutional differences in health education.
Attitudes toward antibiotic use were evaluated through twelve questions, including statements such as trusting a physician’s decision when choosing not to prescribe antibiotics and avoiding unnecessary antibiotic use. The questionnaire also included items on awareness of antibiotic side effects, the consequences of overuse leading to resistance, and the misconception that resistance is trivial or solely related to allergies. A content validity ration (CVR) was calculated for each domain, and all domains reported 0.73 for knowledge domain, 0.68 for attitude domain, and 0.76 for practice domain for Cronbach alpha coefficient score. By evaluating these factors, the findings can inform targeted educational interventions to promote responsible antibiotic practices, align with national antimicrobial stewardship goals, and mitigate AR spread.
However, 40.9% of students demonstrated insufficient knowledge, and factors such as age, gender, and field of study significantly impacted KAP outcomes. Addressing these issues should be prioritized as an antimicrobial stewardship strategy as these students are crucial, tentative frontliners in healthcare administration in the country. Misconceptions persisted, with 13.3% believing antibiotics treat viral infections and 44.2% considering all antibiotics safe. Using simple random sampling, 233 students were enrolled across five health programs. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate students of the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, from May–August 2024. University students in the Allied Health Sciences are uniquely positioned to influence patterns of antibiotic use, both as practitioners and educators.
Associated Data
Students may lack awareness of pharmacists’ expertise, highlighting an opportunity to diversify accessible, trusted healthcare sources for public education. However, expanding awareness to include pharmacists—equally qualified to educate on antibiotic use and resistance—is critical. Such contradiction is probably due to the inclusion in their sample with all age groups rather than a young population of university students . As depicted in Table 1, among the 672 participants involved in this study, the mean age of the students was 20.2 years ±standard deviation (SD) 1.8.
- This suggests that the majority of participants had a moderate level of practice towards antibiotic use, similar to the reported findings from university student in Nepal and in line with the almost around the global average of 56%, according to the 2020 WHO survey .
- These elements collectively strengthen insights into antibiotic awareness in an understudied demographic.
- This course could cover resistance mechanisms, global antimicrobial resistance (AMR) trends, and ethical considerations in engineering contexts (e.g., pharmaceutical waste management).
- Some questions reflected tendencies toward misuse, such as believing antibiotics should be accessible without a prescription, sharing them with family members without medical consultation, or using them to prevent the worsening of illness.
- Addressing these issues should be prioritized as an antimicrobial stewardship strategy as these students are crucial, tentative frontliners in healthcare administration in the country.
- Policymakers must implement multifaceted interventions addressing healthcare and patient factors.
- A 60% proficiency threshold—determined through pilot study analyses (mean and median of knowledge scores)—was adopted to assess adequacy across domains.
3. Sample Size
The effective sample size calculated was 334; however, a larger sample size of 501 students was eventually included in the study, yielding approximately 1.5 times the initial sample size projection (1.5 design effect). Verbal informed consent was obtained from all participants, detailing the study’s purpose, procedures, risks, and benefits. These deficiencies in health literacy and antibiotic education underscore the urgent need for targeted educational interventions .
The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Targeted education is crucial to improve antibiotic awareness, especially among specific demographics. First, the reliance on self-reported data introduces risks of recall bias (e.g., inaccuracies in recalling past antibiotic use) and social desirability bias (over reporting adherence to guidelines), potentially compromising the validity of responses. These elements collectively strengthen insights into antibiotic awareness in an understudied demographic. Key strengths include a robust, gender-balanced sample of non-medical Riyadh students, enhancing statistical power and representativeness. The results advocate for tailored educational programs to enhance antibiotic awareness, particularly in demographics where age, gender, and academic discipline significantly influence outcomes.
Data Availability Statement
While these trends align with regional studies, they contrast with European data 15,16,40,50,51, likely reflecting cultural or institutional differences in health education. Factors such as cultural health beliefs, access to healthcare information, and variations in national health policies could all contribute to differences in awareness. In our Riyadh-based sample, participants were predominantly Saudi nationals, reflecting the local university demographics. Age is one factor linked to less responsible antibiotic behaviors, suggesting certain groups are more prone to misuse. Inappropriate antibiotic use, which is concerning, fuels antibiotic resistance. Since 2018, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health has enforced regulations under the Health Practice Law, prohibiting pharmacists from dispensing antibiotics without a valid prescription from a licensed physician.
Additionally, many individuals discontinue antibiotics as soon as they feel better rather than completing the full course, further exacerbating AR risks. Al-Shibani et al. (2017) found that self-medication with antibiotics, even for minor illnesses like sore throats, is common in Riyadh . In 2018, the Saudi Ministry of Health (MOH) implemented a national policy requiring a prescription for all antibiotic sales in pharmacies, aiming to curb the misuse of antimicrobials. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses an urgent global health crisis, contributing to approximately 700,000 deaths worldwide annually.
This section collects any data citations, data availability statements, or supplementary materials included in this article. (Abdulmohsen Alhussain) analyzed the data and concluded. (Abdulmohsen Alhussain)) contributed to gathering and organizing the data.
On the other hand, literary students had 52.2% lower odds of sufficient knowledge compared to sciences students. Notably, students aged 19–20 demonstrated the highest rates of insufficient knowledge and unsafe behaviors compared to other age groups. In terms of university affiliation, IMSU had the highest representation, with 54.0% of participants. Although the dataset contained minimal missing values, specifically about ten instances within the attitude assessment, mean imputation was employed to address these gaps. A 60% proficiency threshold—determined through pilot study analyses (mean and median of knowledge scores)—was adopted to assess adequacy across domains. Additional questions assessed understanding of antibiotic side effects and the perceived https://www.betsomnia-nl.nl/ efficacy of alternative medicine as a substitute.