Antibiotic use among university students: insights from a Nigerian institution.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance, anticipated to cause 10 million deaths and cost $100.2 trillion by 2050, is particularly severe in West Africa. While bacteria naturally resist antibiotics over time, their misuse intensifies resistance. Given the rising trend of antibiotic misuse in Nigeria, especially among the youth, this study explores this misuse among Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO)undergraduates.

Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, the study assessed FUTO undergraduate students' knowledge, misuse, patterns, and perception of prescription needs, and identified commonly misused antibiotics. We categorized faculties as health-based or non-health-based. From these categories, students were randomly chosen and surveyed using a semi-structured questionnaire that was based on established research.

Results: Out of 400 students surveyed, 60.0% (240 students) displayed inadequate knowledge (Fair) about antibiotic use and resistance, whereas 33.0% (132 students) demonstrated poor knowledge, and only a handful, 7% had good knowledge. More concerning, 67.0% (268 students) reported fair antibiotic usage practices, 26.5% had poor practice with only 6.5% had good practice. The most frequently misused antibiotics were Amoxcillin, Ampiclox, and Tetracycline, often for conditions like Typhoid, Cough, and Catarrh. A significant correlation (p < 0.037) was found between students' antibiotic knowledge and their usage practices. However, no statistically significant difference in knowledge and practices was observed between students from health and non-health-based faculties.

Conclusion: Undergraduate students at FUTO exhibit both a knowledge gap and misuse patterns concerning antibiotics. Implementing educational interventions, like antimicrobial stewardship programs, is essential. Given these findings, especially in the West African context, the inclusion and education of undergraduate students remain crucial.