Rational antibiotic use among university students a study on knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP)

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Literacy
• Antibiotic Stewardship

Background:

• Antibiotic misuse is a significant global health concern.
• Understanding factors influencing antibiotic use behaviors among university students is crucial for developing targeted interventions.
• Existing research often focuses on knowledge gaps, potentially overlooking the impact of attitudes and behaviors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between antibiotic use behaviors and students' knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP), digital health literacy (eHEALS), general health literacy (HLS-EU-Q6), and beliefs about medicines (BMQ).
• To identify key predictors of non-prescription antibiotic use among university students.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 1,012 university students.
• Data collected via a structured online questionnaire assessing KAP, eHEALS, HLS-EU-Q6, and BMQ.
• Statistical analyses included non-parametric tests, correlation, and multivariate logistic regression.

Main Results:

• The prevalence of non-prescription antibiotic use was 13.9%.
• Attitude scores were negatively associated with non-prescription antibiotic use (OR=0.536), while risky behavior scores were positively associated (OR=2.344).
• Prior health literacy training was linked to increased odds of non-prescription use (OR=1.814). Knowledge and general health literacy were not significant predictors.

Conclusions:

• Antibiotic misuse among university students is more strongly predicted by behavioral and attitudinal factors than by knowledge levels.
• Knowledge-based interventions alone are likely insufficient.
• Integrated strategies emphasizing behavioral approaches and critical health literacy are needed to effectively reduce inappropriate antibiotic use.