Knowledge, beliefs, and use of prescribed antibiotic medications among low-socioeconomic African Americans

This study examined knowledge, beliefs, and use of prescribed oral antibiotics of 163 low-socioeconomic African-American adults in a large midwestern city. The effects of age, education, and gender on knowledge and use of antibiotics were examined. Slightly more than 65% of the subjects in this study preferred using brand-name antibiotics. Females were more likely to report using all of their prescribed antibiotics, while males and those in the older age category were more likely to report using antibiotics only until the problem stopped. Twenty-three percent of the males and 18% of the females reported sharing their antibiotics with someone. Less than half of the respondents reported using physicians (and other health professionals) as a major source of information on prescribed antibiotics. Respondents often incorrectly identified painkillers and other medications as antibiotics. Based on these results, it appears that more education is needed to improve patients' understanding of antibiotic regimens.