Table 3.
Knowledge about antibiotic use and resistance (n = 402).
| Respondents’ Answer, n (%) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Correct | Incorrect | Not Sure | |||
| Knowledge about antibiotic use | |||||
| 1. | Antibiotics are medicines that can kill bacteria. | True | 283 (70.4%) |
25 (6.2%) |
94 (23.4%) |
| 2. | Antibiotics can be used to treat viral infections. | False | 76 (18.9%) |
215 (53.5%) |
111 (27.6%) |
| 3. | Antibiotics work on most colds and coughs. | False | 146 (36.3%) |
216 (53.7%) |
40 (10.0%) |
| 4. | Antibiotics can kill bacteria that normally live on the skin and gut (digestion tract). | True | 220 (54.7%) |
60 (14.9%) |
122 (30.3%) |
| 5. | Bacteria that normally live on the skin and in the gut are good for your health. | True | 229 (56.9%) |
97 (24.1%) |
76 (18.9%) |
| 6. | Antibiotics are the same as medications used to relieve pain and fever such as aspirin and paracetamol (Panadol). | False | 179 (44.5%) |
194 (48.3%) |
29 (7.2%) |
| 7. | Penicillin is an antibiotic. | True | 129 (32.1%) |
122 (30.3) |
151 (37.6%) |
| 8. | Antibiotics may cause allergy reactions. | True | 265 (65.9%) |
79 (19.7%) |
58 (14.4%) |
| 9. | All antibiotics do not cause side effects. | False | 223 (55.5%) |
114 (28.3%) |
65 (16.2%) |
| 10. | It is okay to stop taking antibiotic when symptoms are improving. | False | 320 (79.6%) |
72 (17.9%) |
10 (2.5%) |
| 11. | Taking less antibiotics than prescribed is healthier than taking the full course prescribed. | False | 333 (82.8%) |
54 (13.4%) |
15 (3.7%) |
| 12. | Overuse of antibiotics can cause the antibiotics to lose effectiveness in long term. | True | 261 (64.9%) |
71 (17.7%) |
70 (17.4%) |
| Knowledge about antibiotic resistance | |||||
| 1. | Antibiotic resistance occurs when your body becomes resistant to antibiotics and they no longer work as well. | False | 60 (14.9%) |
273 (67.9%) |
69 (17.2%) |
| 2. | Many infections are becoming increasingly resistant to treatment by antibiotics. | True | 246 (61.2%) |
68 (16.9%) |
88 (21.9%) |
| 3. | If bacteria are resistant to antibiotics, it can be very difficult or impossible to treat the infections they cause. | True | 288 (71.6%) |
43 (10.7%) |
71 (17.7%) |
| 4. | Antibiotic resistance is an issue that could affect me or my family. | True | 195 (48.5%) |
124 (30.8%) |
83 (20.6%) |
| 5. | Antibiotic resistance is an issue in other countries but not here. | False | 240 (59.7%) |
40 (10.0%) |
122 (30.3%) |
| 6. | Antibiotic resistance is only a problem for people who take antibiotics regularly. | False | 72 (17.9%) |
251 (62.4%) |
79 (19.7%) |
| 7. | Bacteria which are resistant to antibiotics can be spread from person to person. | True | 167 (41.5%) |
143 (35.6%) |
92 (22.9%) |
| 8. | Antibiotic-resistant infections could make medical procedures like surgery, organ transplants and cancer treatment much more dangerous. | True | 180 (44.8%) |
56 (13.9%) |
166 (41.3%) |