Investigating the drivers for antibiotic use and misuse amongst medical undergraduates–perspectives from a Sri Lankan medical school

Bibliographic Data

ID19593406
AuthorsYasasuru Jayawardhana (University of Peradeniya), Avanthi Premaratne (University of Peradeniya), Sudeepa Kalpani (University of Peradeniya), Sawindya Jayasundara (University of Peradeniya), Gihan Jayawardhane (University of Peradeniya), Chamini Jayawarna (University of Peradeniya), Sarala Gamage (University of Peradeniya), Kalana Jayawardhana (University of Peradeniya), Radshana Johnsan (University of Peradeniya), Chasith Jayasundara (University of Peradeniya), Veranja Liyanapathirana (0000-0002-4356-2172, University of Peradeniya, corresponding author)
EditorsDione Benjumea-Bedoya
Year2023
Volume3
Issue3
Pagese0001740
Publication date2023-03-20
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePLOS Global Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2767-3375 • E-ISSN: 2767-3375
PublisherPublic Library of Science (PLoS) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1371/journal.pgph.0001740
PMID36963066
OpenAlexW4327911469
LanguageEN
References cited20

Medical undergraduates are a unique group who gain the theoretical knowledge on prescribing antibiotics but are not authorized to prescribe till full licensure. This unique situation may result in self-medication and unauthorized prescription of antibiotics. This cross-sectional study was conducted among medical students of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka in 2021 to identify patterns and drivers for antibiotic use and misuse among medical undergraduates. A validated, self-administered Google forms-based online questionnaire was used to gather information on antibiotic use, misuse, and associated factors: demographics, knowledge and perceptions. Two scores; a practice score and a knowledge score were calculated to compare with the associated factors. The study population consisted of 347 medical students with a mean age of 24 (SD1.7) years and 142/347 (40.9%) were male participants. The patterns of misuses identified included; use of antibiotics without a prescription (161/347, 46.4%), keeping left-over antibiotics for future use (111/347, 32.0%), not completing the course of antibiotics (81/347, 23.3%), use of left-over antibiotics (74/347, 21.3%), prescribing to animals (61/347, 17.6%), prescribing antibiotics to family members or friends (51/347, 14.7%), antibiotic self-medication (25/347, 7.2%) and not following the dosage regime prescribed (24/347, 6.9%). The practice score ranged from 33% to 100% (median 87%, IQR 80.0–93.3) and did not differ significantly with either the gender or the year of study. The knowledge score ranged from 4% to 100% (median 87%, IQR: 71.5–95.4) differing significantly according to the year of study. Antibiotic prescription by medical undergraduates was perceived as unacceptable (329/347, 94.8%) by the majority. Individual misuse patterns were associated favourably or unfavourably with gender, year of study, having a health care worker at home and knowledge score. The knowledge score increased with the advancement in training at the medical school while the practice score remained indifferent, highlighting the need to identify the additional drivers of antibiotic misuse among medical undergraduates

Alternative medicine · Antibiotics · Cross-sectional study · Demographics · Environmental health · Family medicine · Geography · Medical prescription · Population · Self-medication · Sri lanka · Tanzania · Antibiotic Use and Resistance · Antibiotics Pharmacokinetics and Efficacy · Demography · Medicine · Nursing · Pharmaceutical Practices and Patient Outcomes

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