Perception of antibiotic misuse and awareness of antibiotic resistance among adults in delta state Nigeria

Misuse of antibiotics leads to propagation and proliferation of resistant bacteria strains. Antibiotic resistance is a public health problem on a global scale. It occurs when changes take place in bacteria that impair the bactericidal or bacteriostatic action of antibiotics on bacteria.

To determine the knowledge of antibiotics, the perceptions of antibiotic misuse and the awareness of antibiotic resistance among adults in Delta state.

A cross-sectional study was carried out among adults who are non-healthcare providers in Delta state, Nigeria. A total of 420 participants were enrolled in the study. An internet based pretested questionnaire was used to collect data. SPSS version 24, was used to run both descriptive and inferential statistics, with a p ≤ 0.05 considered statistically significant. Pearson’s chi-square test was used to determine the association between the measured variables.

Most of the respondents exhibited good knowledge of antibiotics; 296 (73.1%), with 266 (65.7%) respondents observed to have a good perception of antibiotic misuse. However, 234 (57.8%) respondents had poor awareness of antibiotic resistance.

Despite having good knowledge of antibiotics and good perception of antibiotic misuse, most of the respondents exhibited a lack of comprehensive awareness about the intricacies of antibiotic resistance. Addressing the awareness gap surrounding antibiotic resistance is an essential step towards creating a more informed and responsible populace, ultimately contributing to the global effort to preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics.