Healthcare Students' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Related to Antibiotic Resistance and Use in Jordan: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Abstract

Objectives: Antibiotic resistance threatens global health, underscoring healthcare students' critical role in mitigation efforts. This study evaluated their knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward antibiotic resistance and use.

Methods: A validated, self-administered, paper-based questionnaire was developed following an extensive literature review and administered to final-year medical, dental, Pharm D, and pharmacy students at the University of Jordan from October 2022 to March 2023.

Results: Descriptive, nonparametric, and logistic regression analyses were conducted on 263 eligible questionnaires. Students demonstrated adequate knowledge (4.30/5) and positive attitudes (4.19/5), but poor practices (4.78/6). Most felt responsible for resistance (89.73%) and reported efforts to combat self-medication (77.95%). However, irresponsible antibiotic use was noted (78.33%). Females scored higher in practice (5.29) than males (4.70, P = 0.01). Students using leftover antibiotics had lower attitudes (3.50) than those who obtained antibiotics via prescriptions (4.25) or directly from pharmacies (4.55). Enrollment in pharmacy and dental majors increased the odds of inadequate knowledge (P = 0.004) and poor practices (P = 0.02), respectively. Positive attitudes significantly predicted adequate knowledge (P < 0.001) and good practices (P = 0.001).

Conclusions: Knowledge and practices varied across healthcare majors, highlighting educational gaps. Systematic interdisciplinary clinical exposure paired with periodic discussions could enhance interprofessional knowledge sharing, inform decision-making, and foster trust between disciplines. Male students' poorer practices may stem from an unmet need for career-oriented education that aligns with their career trajectories; incorporating internships could improve their engagement to education and prudent behaviors. Despite limitations in generalizability and potential sampling bias, these findings align with existing literature, suggesting relevance beyond the study sample.