Knowledge, attitude and practices regarding antimicrobial use and resistance among community members of Mtendere Township in Lusaka, Zambia: findings and implications on antimicrobial stewardship

Steward Mudenda; Namonje Simukoko; Shafiq Mohamed

doi:10.18203/2319-2003.ijbcp20240985

Authors

Steward Mudenda Department of Pharmacy, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
Namonje Simukoko Department of Pharmacy, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
Shafiq Mohamed Department of Medicines Management and Pharmacy Services, St. James University Hospital, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Beckett Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2319-2003.ijbcp20240985

Keywords:

Antibiotic resistance, Antibiotic use, Antimicrobial resistance, Antimicrobial stewardship, Knowledge, Lusaka, Practices, Zambia

Abstract

Background: Antibiotic resistance is a public health problem affecting all countries and leads to an increase in morbidity and mortality rates. In Zambia, there is little information on the knowledge, attitude, and practices of community members about antibiotic use and resistance. This study assessed the knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) regarding antimicrobial use (AMU) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among community members in Mtendere township of Lusaka Zambia.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study that was conducted from May 2020 to August 2020 using a structured questionnaire among 369 Mtendere residents. The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0.

Results: Of the 369 participants, 50.9% were male and 62.1% were aged between 18 and 29 years. Overall, this study found a poor KAP (38% good knowledge, 58% positive attitudes, and 52% good practices) regarding AMU and AMR. More than half of the participants 66.7% (246/369) had heard of antibiotics, 33.6% heard of AMR, and 23% heard of antimicrobial-resistant infections. Most of the participants 48.2% were not aware that AMR is a public health issue. A total of 52.8% (195/369) of the participants said they did not take antibiotics without consulting a doctor or pharmacist, translating into a prevalence of self-medication of 47.2%.

Conclusions: This study showed that Mtendere residents had poor KAP towards antibiotic use and resistance. There is a need to implement community-based interventional campaigns including antimicrobial stewardship programmes address the gaps in KAP identified in this study.

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