Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude, Practice towards Use and Antibiotic Resistance among the Engineering Students of West Bengal

Abstract

Aim and Background: The resistance of antibiotics has become an urgent and serious globally public health related problem. The antimicrobial resistance heightened due to abuse of antimicrobial agents, irrational usage of antibiotics, inappropriate use and lack of knowledge regarding the use and management of antimicrobial agents, availability of antibiotics as OTC and this is the reason for unreasonable use (or) abuse of antimicrobial agents. The present study aims to Assess Knowledge, Attitude, Practice towards Use and Antibiotic Resistance among the Engineering Students of West Bengal. Materials and Methods: -A prospective web-based survey study is carried out during the period of January to May 2021, study was carried out during a five-month period among Engineering Students of West Bengal. In the web survey study the questionnaire related to the Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude, Practice towards Use and Antibiotic Resistance among the Engineering Students of West Bengal is designed to collect the data from the engineering students. The questionnaire form is subdivided into two sections (1) is about the consent of participants and (2) consists of questions regarding the Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude, Practice towards Use and Antibiotic Resistance among the Engineering Students. Results: -There are a total of 159 participants that have participated in this web survey study and responses are recorded in google drive. Out of these 135 are male participants and 24 female: 50 (31.4%) are pursuing bachelor’s degrees, and 57 (35. 9%) are presently students of master's and 52 (32.7) are pursuing Ph.D. degree in engineering background. Total 149 (93.70%) participants heard of the term "Antibiotics Resistance". A whole of 153 (96.20%) participants have agreed that antibiotics resistance is a worldwide problem. Out of 159 students, 60 (38%) participants think Self-medication may harm one's health. Then a percentage of 96.90% participants think that frequent use of antibiotics will decrease efficacy of treatment when reusage of antibiotics becomes mandatory. Conclusions: -The present web-based survey aims to Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude, Practice towards Use and Antibiotic Resistance among the Engineering StudentsOf West Bengal. Majority of the participating students have agreed that Self-medication especially antimicrobial agents, can harm one's health. There is a need of Awareness campaigning for participants, non-medico field students and society for enhancing their knowledge, Attitude, Practice towards Use and Antibiotic Resistance.