engleski

Attitudes towards antimicrobial drugs among general population in Croatia, FYROM, Greece, Hungary, Serbia and Slovenia

Increasing antimicrobial (AB) resistance reduces effectiveness of AB treatment, leading to increased morbidity, mortality and health care costs. As resistant bacteria know no national boundaries, no country acting on its own can adequately protect the health of its population against them. International collaboration is therefore essential. It has been shown that AB consumption is at least in part leading to resistance. The most important strategies for containing emergence of resistance are education of professionals on rational AB use, education of patients on inappropriate use and importance of compliance with instructions on taking ABs, diagnostic/clinical accuracy and AB policies and formularies. The aim of this study was to assess patients' attitudes to ABs in 6 European countries as the step proceeding patients' education on ABs. An emerging consensus in the field of social psychology is that attitudes towards an object are based on cognitive, affective, and behavioral information. Cognitive components consist of thoughts (facts, knowledge and beliefs) the person has about ABs. Affective component consists of person's emotions and affects (positive or negative) toward ABs. Behavioral component consists of person's tendency to act regarding ABs. Patients' emotions, knowledge and behavior regarding ABs were assessed through a structured questionnaire given to general population in pharmacies and health care centers. The questionnaire was constructed by psychologist in the way that all three components of attitudes were assessable. Emotional component: 10% of 217 subjects in Croatia and 79% of 106 in Hungary believe in ABs, and consider them powerful medicines. 16% of 139 subjects in Slovenia, 56% in Hungary and 74% of 108 subjects in Greece expect an AB from their doctor. The reason for self-medication was previous good experience with ABs in 11% of subjects in Slovenia and 36% in Hungary. Cognitive component: 25% of subjects in Hungary and 48% of 158 in FYROM thought that an AB should be taken for sore throat, fever or flu. In all 6 countries majority of the subjects knew that ABs should be taken in equal time intervals (range between 75% in FYROM to 99% in Croatia). 24% of 100 subjects in Serbia thought that AB should be stopped as soon as one feels better. Behavioral component: 62% of subjects in FYROM and 40% in Greece and Serbia have an AB at home. 60% of subjects in FYROM and Hungary could get an AB upon consultation from a pharmacist. Only 1% of subjects in Slovenia could get an antibiotic without a prescription. In conclusion, the most positive emotions about ABs had subjects from Greece and Hungary and most negative in Croatia. Knowledge on taking ABs was highest in Slovenia and lowest in Greece and FYROM. Behavior regarding ABs complied with emotions and knowledge in all countries. The results of this study will lay a basis for conducting a public campaign on rational AB use.

antibiotics ; attitudes ; general population

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