Knowledge and attitude of antibiotic resistance in the time of COVID-19 among patients attending a dental hospital in Bhubaneswar city

Introduction: The present study aims to assess the knowledge and attitude among the patients attending a dental hospital in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted among the general population from July 2020 to September 2020. It included 205 patients attending the outpatient department of Kalinga Institute of Dental Sciences, Bhubaneswar. A self-structured 17 item questionnaire regarding antibiotic resistance was used to assess the knowledge and attitude of the patients. Data were entered into Microsoft Excel sheet and analyzed using SPSS version 25.0. Results: The present study comprised 47.3% males and 52.7% females. Comparison of the knowledge and attitude domain scores was made across the educational levels of the participants and a significant difference was observed in the attitude domain scores. Conclusion: The present study stresses on the dire need for educating the general public about the rational use of antibiotics, thereby reducing further abuse leading to a global problem. The following core competencies are addressed in this article: Medical knowledge, Systems-based practice, Practice-based learning and improvement.