Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Antibiotic Use Among the General Population in Kuwait: A Cross-Sectional Study

TL;DR

This study in Kuwait finds that most people have low to moderate knowledge about antibiotics, positive attitudes, but many misuse them.

Contribution

The study provides insights into antibiotic knowledge, attitudes, and practices specific to the general population in Kuwait.

Findings

96.1% of participants had low to moderate knowledge about antibiotics.

86% of participants had positive attitudes towards antibiotics.

53.16% of participants did not use antibiotics properly.

Abstract

Background

Antibiotic resistance is a growing global public health threat, largely driven by inappropriate use and misuse of antibiotics in the community. Understanding public knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding antibiotic use is essential for designing effective interventions.

Objectives

The objective of this study was to assess the general population of Kuwait’s knowledge, attitudes, and proper use of antibiotics.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study that used a validated questionnaire. Participants had to be 18 years and above, residing in Kuwait, and of any nationality. The data collection period was from the 27th of December 2023 to the 7th of January 2024. The sample size of this study was 743 participants. All statistical analyses were conducted using IBM Corp. Released 2023. IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 29. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.

Results

Almost all participants (96.1%) displayed a low to moderate level of knowledge regarding antibiotics. Attitudes towards antibiotics were positive in 86% of the study population. Approximately 53.16% of individuals enrolled in the study do not use antibiotics properly.

Conclusion

The overwhelming majority of participants displayed low to moderate knowledge about antibiotics, which is consistent with data from the local region. However, attitudes towards antibiotics were resoundingly positive amongst participants. On the contrary, more than half of the participants did not exhibit proper use of antibiotics. The findings of this study will guide policymakers in Kuwait to implement tailored interventions focusing on increasing knowledge and reinforce medical practitioners to explain the proper use of antibiotics to patients.