Public knowledge and attitude toward antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance in Riyadh region

A BSTRACT Background: One of the world’s most significant challenges is antimicrobial resistance. The WHO agreed to tackle the threat of antibiotic resistance globally. The CDC announced in 2013 that the human race is now in the “post-antibiotic period.” In 2014, the WHO warned that the problem of antibiotic resistance is becoming more and more severe. Objective: To assess the population’s knowledge and attitudes toward antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance in Riyadh region. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Primary health care centers (PHC) in four regions of Riyadh (North, East, South, and West). A random sample of 639 patients/visitors was selected in each region by stratified random sampling. Data were collected through Self-administered, closed-type questionnaires, which were analyzed by Chi-square and relative risk calculation. Results: Sixty-five percent of participants had insufficient knowledge about antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance. Twenty-four percent of participants had negative attitudes toward antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance. Conclusion: The research results conclude that the Riyadh Community possibly has a high percentage of insufficient antibiotic awareness. The results may benefit the Health Education Specialists in preparing a suitable intervention to enhance the use of antibiotics in the future among patients or help Specialists in Health Promotion to establish educational programs aimed at HCWs to help them prompt their method of delivering information to the public, as they are the source of information for the community.