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Antibiotic Self-Medication among Non-Medical University Students in Punjab, Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Author

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  • Ali Hassan Gillani

    (Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
    Center for Drug Safety and Policy Research, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
    The Global Health Institute, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
    Shaanxi Centre for Health Reform and Development Research, Xi’an 710061, China)

  • Wenjing Ji

    (Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
    Center for Drug Safety and Policy Research, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
    The Global Health Institute, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
    Shaanxi Centre for Health Reform and Development Research, Xi’an 710061, China)

  • Waqar Hussain

    (Faculty of Pharmacy, Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan, Multan 66000, Pakistan)

  • Ali Imran

    (Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lahore, Lahore 54000, Pakistan)

  • Jie Chang

    (Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
    Center for Drug Safety and Policy Research, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
    The Global Health Institute, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
    Shaanxi Centre for Health Reform and Development Research, Xi’an 710061, China)

  • Caijun Yang

    (Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
    Center for Drug Safety and Policy Research, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
    The Global Health Institute, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
    Shaanxi Centre for Health Reform and Development Research, Xi’an 710061, China)

  • Yu Fang

    (Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
    Center for Drug Safety and Policy Research, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
    The Global Health Institute, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
    Shaanxi Centre for Health Reform and Development Research, Xi’an 710061, China)

Abstract

Background : Antibiotic resistance is a global threat. Scarce knowledge about safe and appropriate antibiotic use is coupled with frequent self-administration, e.g., in China. This repeated self-medication poses potential risk in terms of antibiotic resistance. Low-resource countries are facing an elevated burden of antibiotic self-medication as compared to developed ones. Thus, this study focused on evaluating the pervasiveness of antibiotic self-medication in 3 universities of Southern Punjab, Pakistan. Methods : We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional survey in three government sector universities of Southern Punjab, Pakistan. The study was carried out with self-administered paper-based questionnaires. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 18.0 (IBM, Chicago, IL, USA). Results : Seven hundred twenty-seven students out of 750 (response rate 97%) with a mean age ± SD of 23.0 ± 3.4 years agreed to participate in the study. The proportion of females was slightly greater (52%) compared with males (48%), and almost one-third of the respondents (36%) were in their 2nd year of university. Out of the total, 58.3% practiced self-medication in the preceding six months, and 326 (45%) confirmed the use of antibiotics. Metronidazole was the most frequently self-medicated antibiotic (48%). Out of the total, 72% demonstrated awareness regarding the side effects of antibiotics. Diarrhea was the well-known adverse effect (38%). Forty-three percent affirmed having antibiotic resistance knowledge, and 30% knew that the irregular use of antibiotics would lead to increased antibiotic resistance. Conclusion : Despite having ample awareness of the adverse antibiotic reactions, self-medication among the university students was high and antibiotic resistance was a fairly unknown term.

Suggested Citation

  • Ali Hassan Gillani & Wenjing Ji & Waqar Hussain & Ali Imran & Jie Chang & Caijun Yang & Yu Fang, 2017. "Antibiotic Self-Medication among Non-Medical University Students in Punjab, Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-9, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:14:y:2017:i:10:p:1152-:d:113656
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Hui Pan & Binglin Cui & Dangui Zhang & Jeremy Farrar & Frieda Law & William Ba-Thein, 2012. "Prior Knowledge, Older Age, and Higher Allowance Are Risk Factors for Self-Medication with Antibiotics among University Students in Southern China," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(7), pages 1-8, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Narmeen Mallah & Nicola Orsini & Adolfo Figueiras & Bahi Takkouche, 2022. "Income level and antibiotic misuse: a systematic review and dose–response meta-analysis," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 23(6), pages 1015-1035, August.

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