title: Antibiotics and their effects: what do patients know and what is their source of information?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Eurobarometer 2010 report on antimicrobial resistance included a survey on the knowledge of Europeans about antibiotics. Austria was ranked at the bottom of the EU27 countries. Based on these alarming results, it was the aim of this study to analyse demographic characteristics of patients and general practitioners in Austria to assess possible predictors for this outcome as well as to assess the main source of information related to antibiotics.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study was conducted within the context of the European APRES project. An additional 12-item questionnaire was developed asking for the knowledge about antibiotics, demographic data and the source of information. Statistical analyses included subgroup analyses and linear mixed regression models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 3280 questionnaires were analysed. On average, 2.78 (standard deviation 1.69) out of the six knowledge questions were answered correctly. The main predictors for a low knowledge score were low educational level, age, speaking another language than German and male sex. In all, 55.6% of the participants marked the general practitioner as main source of information. However, the source was less important for the knowledge score than their highest educational level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Eurobarometer report result for Austrians could be confirmed and important associations and predictors could be identified: a multifaceted and evidence informed strategy is needed to improve the situation, which should both focus on target-group-specific interventions at the individual level to increase the knowledge of people with the highest needs as well as on strengthening the primary health care and educational sector at the system level.
authors: 1 Department of General Practice and Family Medicine, Centre for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria kathryn.hoffmann@meduniwien.ac.at.
authors: Kathryn
authors: K
authors: Hoffmann
authors: 2 Section for Medical Statistics, Center for Medical Statistics, Informatics, and Intelligent Systems, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors: Robin
authors: R
authors: Ristl
authors: 1 Department of General Practice and Family Medicine, Centre for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors: Lukas
authors: L
authors: Heschl
authors: 1 Department of General Practice and Family Medicine, Centre for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors: Dominik
authors: D
authors: Stelzer
authors: 1 Department of General Practice and Family Medicine, Centre for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors: Manfred
authors: M
authors: Maier
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D057226:Information Seeking Behavior; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents