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40.Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Parents Regarding Antibiotics Use in Children
Muhammad Sa'd Masood1, Maqbool Hussain1 and Iqra Rashid2
ABSTRACT
Objective: To access parents' knowledge, practices, and attitudes on antibiotic use in their children.
Study Design: Cross-sectional study
Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the PIMS Hospital, Islamabad from 28 September to
28 February 2023.
Materials and Methods: A sample size of 381 was selected by using the WHO sample size calculator. Parents of Children visiting the OPD of Children Hospital PIMS or parents of children treated in the in-patient department of Children Hospital PIMS were included. Data was collected through the questionnaire and analyzed using the latest version of SPSS.
Results: There were a total of 381 parents, of which 81.88 % of them were females and 18.11 % were males. 59.05 % of the parents said that if the child has a fever, then antibiotics must be given, while 54.06 % of parents opted that child can easily be cured with antibiotics if the child suffered from a cold. Moreover, 40.68 % of the parents said that antibiotics have no side effects. 67.97 %, and 54.59 % like the prescription of antibiotics due to cold, and nose drainage, moreover, 67.96 % due to cough as well. 49. 34 % of parents always (95-100%) followed the instruction of the pediatrician.
Conclusion: The study concluded that the overall knowledge of the respondents was good, 74.01 % of them agreed that viral diseases like flu must not be treated with antibiotics. More than half of the participants followed the pediatrician’s advice and were guided by the pediatrician.
Key Words: Antibiotics, knowledge, attitude, practice OPD