Antimicrobial resistance awareness and antibiotic prescribing behavior among healthcare workers in Nigeria: a national survey

• Published in: BMC infectious diseases 2021-01, Vol.21 (1), p.22-22, Article 22
• Main Authors: Chukwu, Emelda E, Oladele, David A, Enwuru, Christian A, Gogwan, Peter L, Abuh, Dennis, Audu, Rosemary A, Ogunsola, Folasade T
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; Antibiotics; Antibiotics prescription; Antimicrobial agents; Antimicrobial resistance; Attitude of Health Personnel; Attitudes; Beliefs, opinions and attitudes; Common cold; Cross-Sectional Studies; Data analysis; Demographics; Dosage and administration; Drug Prescriptions - statistics & numerical data; Drug resistance; Drug resistance in microorganisms; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Female; Geopolitics; Health care; Health facilities; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Health Personnel - statistics & numerical data; Healthcare workers; Humans; Infectious diseases; Knowledge; Male; Measles; Medical personnel; Medical treatment; Middle Aged; Nigeria; Patients; Physicians; Practice Patterns, Physicians; Primary care; Public health; Public opinion; Questionnaires; Sampling techniques; Services; Social sciences; Statistical analysis; Surveys and Questionnaires; Workers; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1471-2334; 1471-2334
• DOI: 10.1186/s12879-020-05689-x

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global problem compromising the effective treatment of infectious diseases. The World Health Organization (WHO) is encouraging and promoting awareness creation among health workers as one of its strategies to reduce the rate of emergence and transmission of AMR. Available data on the prescribing behavior of healthcare workers (HCWs) in Nigeria remains incomplete. This study was designed to provide an up-to-date estimate of the knowledge, attitude and antibiotic prescribing behavior of HCWs in Nigeria. This is a cross-sectional study. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to healthcare workers selected from six states, one each from the 6 geopolitical zones in Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to reflect the three tiers of healthcare: primary, secondary and tertiary levels. Quantitative data was summarized using descriptive statistics. All data analysis was done using the Statistical package for social sciences version 26.0. Of the 420 questionnaires distributed, 358 (85.2%) responded. The mean year of practice of the respondents was 9.32 ± 7.8 years. About a half (50.3%) agreed that their prescribing behavior could promote antimicrobial resistance. 49.2% had a good knowledge of AMR and physicians had significantly better knowledge than other HCWs (X  = 69.59, P