Pattern of antibiotic abuse – a population based study in Cairo

BackgroundInappropriate use of antibiotics is a significant public health problem. The unnecessary use of antibiotics exposes the community to unwarranted medication and contributes to the development of antimicrobial resistance.ObjectiveIs to define pattern of usage of unprescribed antibiotics in Cairo and various contributing factors for such behavior including level of education, occupation and socioeconomic level.MethodsAn interview questionnaire was held with 1057 subjects exploring their behavior toward antibiotic use in a 3 month-period. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze the data.FindingsAmong 1006 completed questionnaires, usage of unprescribed antibiotics in the 3 month period was 29.8%. Most antibiotics were used to treat respiratory infections (55.7%). The most common antibiotics used were penicillins. Behavior of seeking medical advice is affected significantly by different age groups but not by gender. Rates of consulting a physician were 69%, 60%, 41.3% and 29.9% among children, elderly, youth and adults respectively. Different socioeconomic levels among the surveyed sample preferred ways other than consulting physicians based on the belief that common diseases do not worth physician’s consultation 47.3%.ConclusionThis study showed high rates of antibiotic abuse among Cairo population. This needs to be guided through different strategies. An easy access to an affordable health care service with a considerable quality is the first step side by side with establishing a national antibiotic policy to be followed by all healthcare workers.