Abstract:
Background: Antibiotics misuse is a global challenge, and the situation is likely to deteriorate in conflict zones with insufficient health services. The misuse of antibiotics is not only associated with antimicrobial resistance but may also lead to serious consequences. This study was aimed to investigate the knowledge, attitude, and practices on antibiotic consumption, antibiotic resistance (ABR), and related suggestions among residents of conflicted zones in Pakistan. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted at community pharmacies between June 2020 and January 2021. The primary findings were ascertained through thematic content analysis. Themes, sub-themes, and categories were drawn from the final analysis. Data analysis was carried out in six steps from getting to know the data to final report development. Results: A total of 20 consumers were interviewed with a mean interview duration of 25.4 min. The average age of participants was 35.1 years, and most of them were males. ABR was unfamiliar to the participants. Most of the participants understood the term \"antibiotics,\" but they did not know how to use them properly. The participants were unable to distinguish between bacterial and viral illnesses. Thirteen participants believed that antibiotics have a faster effect than any other drug. Most of the participants perceived that every antibiotic could cause diarrhea, and pharmacy staff sometimes prefer other medicines such as multivitamins. Consumer practices regarding antibiotic usage and ABR were found to be poor. Most participants recommended that health officials must ensure qualified staff at pharmacies with strict regulations. Five participants said that a leaflet with antibiotic instructions in Urdu (national language) is usually beneficial, especially when making solutions from powder. Conclusions: This study underscored poor knowledge, attitude, and practices among residents of conflicted zones towards antibiotics and ABR. Low literacy rate, unavailability of healthcare facilities, absence of pharmacists at community pharmacies, and uncontrolled sales of antibiotics are some factors attributed to serious hazards, ABR, and irrational use of drugs.
摘要:
背景:抗生素滥用是一个全球性的挑战,在卫生服务不足的冲突地区,局势可能会恶化。滥用抗生素不仅与抗菌素耐药性有关,还可能导致严重后果。这项研究的目的是调查知识,态度,以及抗生素消费的做法,抗生素耐药性(ABR),以及巴基斯坦冲突地区居民的相关建议。方法:2020年6月至2021年1月在社区药店进行了半结构化访谈。通过主题内容分析确定了主要发现。主题,次主题,并从最终分析中得出类别。从了解数据到编写最终报告,数据分析分六个步骤进行。结果:共采访了20名消费者,平均采访时间为25.4分钟。参与者的平均年龄为35.1岁,其中大多数是男性。ABR对参与者来说并不熟悉。大多数参与者理解“抗生素,“但是他们不知道如何正确使用它们。参与者无法区分细菌和病毒疾病。13名参与者认为抗生素比任何其他药物都有更快的效果。大多数参与者认为每种抗生素都可能导致腹泻,药房工作人员有时更喜欢其他药物,如多种维生素。关于抗生素使用和ABR的消费者实践被发现很差。大多数与会者建议卫生官员必须确保药房有严格规定的合格工作人员。五名参与者说,乌尔都语(国家语言)的带有抗生素说明的传单通常是有益的,尤其是用粉末制造溶液时。结论:这项研究强调了知识匮乏,态度,以及冲突地区居民对抗生素和ABR的做法。识字率低,医疗保健设施不可用,社区药房没有药剂师,抗生素的不受控制的销售是一些归因于严重危害的因素,ABR,不合理地使用药物。