title: Knowledge, attitudes and practices concerning self-medication with antibiotics among university students in western China.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the knowledge, attitude and behaviours of university students on the use of antibiotics.
  
  
  METHODS
  A knowledge-attitude-practice questionnaire was developed and distributed to undergraduate students of Xi'an Jiaotong University, comprising 18 schools/colleges in Shaanxi Province, western China. Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were applied to identify risk factors associated with self-medication with antibiotics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 731 respondents (response rate = 73.1%), 294 (40.2%) had self-medicated with antibiotics in the past 6 months. Most of the antibiotics (59.2%) for self-medication were purchased without prescription in retail pharmacies. The median score of students' knowledge about antibiotics was 4 (IQR: 3-6) of a maximum possible score of 10. Students had moderately accurate beliefs towards antibiotics. More than half of the students (56.5%) were storing antibiotics frequently. During self-medication, 16.7% of students claimed to have experienced adverse reactions, and 30.6% had used antibiotics to prevent common colds. The majority preferred to use broad-spectrum antibiotics, and nearly half preferred intravenous antibiotics. Over 44% of students had changed antibiotic dosage, and 36.5% had switched to another antibiotic during the treatment course. Logistic regression analysis identified college and home town as independent risk factors for self-medication with antibiotics (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Undergraduate students had inadequate knowledge, moderately accurate beliefs and inappropriate practices concerning antibiotics, and a high rate of self-medication. This highlights the need for focused educational intervention and stricter governmental regulation concerning antibiotic use and sale in retail pharmacies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Administration, School of Pharmacy, Health Science Centre, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.forename: Zhongliang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Guiping
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Dingkun
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Lina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Minghuan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Guilan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Shimin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fang
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012651:Self Medication / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: Ascaris; Helmintos transmitidos por tierra; Ruanda; Rwanda; antibiotic; géohelminthes; knowledge-attitude-practice method; mebendazol; mébendazole; rational use of drugs; reinfección; réinfection; self-medication; tasa de curación; taux de guérison; university students