Prevalence of self medication with antibiotics and knowledge about antibiotic resistance: a cross-sectional study at a medical school of Pakistan

Introduction: Medical students represent a unique population due to their easier access to pharmacies and foundational medical knowledge. While their training may give them a certain degree of confidence in self-diagnosing and treating minor illnesses, this practice can lead to inappropriate drug use, and ultimately, contribute to the growing problem of antibiotic resistance. Objective: To determine the prevalence and knowledge of medical students regarding self-medication with antibiotics and its resistance. Materials and Methods: This descriptive type of cross-sectional study was carried out in Rehman Medical College (RMC) Peshawar, Pakistan, from January 2023 to July 2023. A self-administered questionnaire was used which included demographic data, knowledge regarding self‑medication with antibiotics and its resistance, respectively. All medical students (n=593) of RMC were included in the study. Responses of the individual participants were then compiled and analyzed using SPSS v22. Results: The response rate was 75.2% with a mean age of 21.09±1.34 years for the participants. About 80.7% of the participants were self-medicators with Cephalosporins observed as commonly used antibiotics (21%). Male and rural students were found to be significantly high self-medicators compared to their counterparts (p<0.05). A negative correlation of age and professional year was observed to the prevalence of antibiotic use. Most of the students (78.2%) knew about antibiotic resistance. The overall knowledge of students regarding antibiotic resistance was satisfactory. Conclusion: This study revealed that self-medication was widely practiced among medical students despite having good knowledge of antibiotic resistance. Thus, it is time to implement strict bylaws to limit the sale of antibiotics without a physician’s prescription.