engleski

The impact of educational campaign on public attitudes towards antibiotics

Objective: Education of patients on inappropriate use and importance of compliance with instructions on taking antibiotics is an important strategy for improvement of antimicrobial use and containing emergence of resistance. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of a public campaign about rational use of antibiotics by perceiving the alterations in patients' attitudes towards antibiotics reviewed prior and following the campaign. Methods: The public campaign about the rational antibiotic use and treatment of mild upper respiratory tract infections was conducted among the population in Primorsko-Goranska county during February 2009 through local daily newspapers, radio and TV spots and programmes, booklets and handouts for patients, posters and organised lectures. Before the campaign anonymous questionnaires were dispensed to patients in primary care, who visited pharmacies and general practitioners. The questions concerned patients' knowledge on antibiotics, their expectations from physicians regarding prescribing an antibiotic and their awareness of the risks associated with the over consumption and misuse of antibiotics. After the end of the campaign, another questionnaire was presented to the patients in the primary care. They were asked the same questions as they were before the campaign, with additional questions on the impact of the campaign. Results: A total of 461 qustionnaires were filled in before the campaign, and 345 patients completed the questionnaire after the campaign. A significant difference was noted in responses concerning the appropriateness of taking antibiotics for typical viral symptoms (sore throat, fever, cold, flue) (Fig. 1.). About 2/3 of the respondents (62 %) were informed about the campaign, mostly through TV spots (56 %) and posters (43 %). The majority remembered the inappropriateness of selfmedication (85 %) and ineffectivenes of antibiotic treatment for viral infections (50 %) as the main messages of the campaign. Conclusion: A short term effect of educational campaign about the rational antibiotic use was a considerable impact on public knowledge on appropriate antibiotic usage. A long term effect and our future goal is continuous patient education as an important measure in decreasing unnecessary antibiotic prescribing and even decreasing bacterial resistance.

antibiotics ; public knowledge ; education campaign

nije evidentirano