Ivanovska, Verica and Zdravkovska, Milka and Angelovska, Bistra (2012) Antibiotics for upper respiratory infections: public knowledge, beliefs and self-medication in the Republic of Macedonia. In: 2012 FIP Congress, 6-9 Oct 2012, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
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Abstract
Background: Self-medication as part of the irrational use of antibiotics contributes to the spread of antimicrobial resistance. However, systematically collected information on resistance rates and antibiotic use, including
self-medication, are scarce in Macedonia. Aim:The aim of this first community-based survey in Macedonia was to determine public’ knowledge, beliefs and self-medication with antibiotics for upper respiratory infections. Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted in three administrative regions in Macedonia in April 2012. The eligible 402 participants were asked to answer an anonymous
questionnaire. Results: Our respondents demonstrated relatively low level of public knowledge about antibiotics and upper respiratory infection treatment in comparison to the EU countries. The study found that 71.4% of our participants stored antibiotics at home, and 43.3% purchased OTC antibiotics in the last year, despite the national regulation that restricts antibiotics as prescription-only medicines. Actual self-medication with antibiotics for upper respiratory infections was reported in 18.3% of adults and 1.8% of children aged 0-4 years. Conclusions: : Our results put us in the group of eastern and southern EU countries which have the highest rates for non-prescription use of antibiotics in Europe. Therefore, multifaceted interventions aiming to prevent self-medication should include:enforcement of regulations that restrict OTC sales of antibiotics, monitoring of antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance rates and public education activities.
| Item Type: | Conference or Workshop Item (Speech) |
|---|---|
| Subjects: | Medical and Health Sciences > Clinical medicine Medical and Health Sciences > Health sciences Social Sciences > Other social sciences |
| Divisions: | Faculty of Medical Science |
| Depositing User: | Milka Zdravkovska |
| Date Deposited: | 06 May 2014 09:56 |
| Last Modified: | 06 May 2014 09:56 |
| URI: | https://eprints.ugd.edu.mk/id/eprint/5097 |
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