ABSTRACT
Background: Despite recent government efforts to control antibiotic purchase by the public, the rate of self-prescription is still alarmingly high in Saudi Arabia. Increased and inappropriate antibiotic use has been identified as an important factor behind bacterial resistance. Recently, there has been an increased interest in the Saudi public's awareness of antibiotic use and resistance. However, none of the local studies examined the awareness and practices among patients attending primary care services. Additionally, the influencing factors of awareness and practices have never been comprehensively examined. Objective: To assess the levels of knowledge, attitude, and practices of antibiotic use and their influencing factors among a sample of patients at a primary care setting. Methods: A cross-sectional design was used to examine patients attending Al Wazarat Health Center in Riyadh between 1 January 2018 and 31 March 2018. Data was collected using a structured study questionnaire which included data on socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of the participants, as well as knowledge, attitude, and practices of antibiotic use. Scores were calculated for knowledge, attitude, and practices of antibiotic use and were translated to a 100-point scale for easy interpretation. Results: The current analysis included 343 participants. The average age was 32.5 ± 10.0 years. The majority of the participants were women (63.0%), married (65.9%), and had college or higher education (57.0%). The overall antibiotic awareness level was 54.7% (including 43.9% for knowledge and 71.7% for attitude) and appropriate antibiotic practices were 68.3%. The scores of both awareness and practices were positively and significantly correlated (correlation coefficient = 0.440, P < 0.001). In addition to appropriate antibiotic practices, awareness was significantly associated with higher educational level and having children. Conclusions: The current findings indicate the need to improve awareness and understanding of the public regarding appropriate antibiotic use by targeting patients who attend primary care services with posters, structured educational sessions, and physician advice.
ABSTRACT
Introduction Mental well-being is an essential aspect of general health. Assessing mental well-being is crucial to leading a healthy life. The global population is, presumptively, affected at a ratio of one out of four individuals with a mental or neurological disorder. This further emphasized the importance of the financial, social, and health implications that ensue. Methods and materials Data collection was performed using the symptoms checklist-90 (SCL-90) survey between March and April of 2021. The data collected included demographic data as well as nine domains that include some of the most common psychiatric symptoms. The collected questionnaires were analyzed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk tests. Non-parametric tests were utilized, as the SCL-90 dimensions and global index scores follow a non-normal distribution. Results The questionnaire yielded 387 responses. Females comprised the majority of the participants. The most prevalent symptom described as extremely common by females was waking up early in the morning. The most commonly described symptom described as not at all by females was hearing words that others do not hear. There was no statistical difference in mental well-being between males and females. Older participants (>40 years old) had better mental well-being in comparison to their younger counterparts. Conclusion During the fallout of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, much attention and resources were allocated toward the physical aspect of the pandemic, yet the psychological implications must not be understated. Multiple variables, such as age, marital status, and unemployment, may impact the mental well-being of the population and must be further assessed.
