Parental Digital Health Literacy and Appropriate Antibiotic-Seeking Behaviour for Childhood Illness in Bangladesh: The Mediating Role of Knowledge of Antimicrobial Resistance

This research aims to understand the relationship between parental digital health literacy and adequate antibiotic seeking behaviour for childhood diseases in Bangladesh, focusing on the knowledge of antimicrobial resistance and confidence in seeking professional advice. A cross-sectional survey 560 complete observations. Appropriate antibiotic seeking behaviour, digital health literacy and confidence in seeking professional advice were modelled as reflective constructs and antimicrobial resistance knowledge was operationalised as a seven-item factual scale. 2,000 bootstrap samples were used to apply partial least squares structural equation modelling. The measurement model showed good test–retest reliability and presented good criterion-related and content-related validity. Digital health literacy was a positive predictor of antimicrobial resistance knowledge, confidence in seeking professionals’ advice and appropriate antibiotic seeking behaviour. There were positive associations between the levels of antimicrobial resistance knowledge and professional-advice confidence and antimicrobial resistance appropriate behaviour. Appropriate antibiotic seeking behaviour was most directly associated with confidence in seeking professional advice. The indirect effect via antimicrobial resistance knowledge was significant, demonstrating mediation. The model accounted for 35.8% of the variance in appropriate antibiotic seeking behaviour. The results suggest that enhancing parents’ skills in assessing digital health information could help them make safer choices about antibiotic use alongside increased knowledge about the facts of resistance and trust in seeking advice from trained healthcare providers during standard childhood infections.