Knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of the population of Chisinau municipality regarding antibiotic use

Introduction. The irrational use of antibiotics is one of the main factors contributing to the accelerated development of antimicrobial resistance worldwide. Despite the regulations established to control the procurement of antimicrobial drugs, the rate of self-prescribing and self-treatment with antimicrobials remains very high in most countries. To plan further measures to combat this resistance, a thorough understanding of the current reasons behind this behavior is required. The aim of the study is to explore the general public’s knowledge, attitudes, and behavior regarding antibiotic consumption. Material and methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a questionnaire developed by the World Health Organization to assess the general public’s knowledge, attitudes, and behavior regarding the use of antimicrobial preparations. The questionnaire was administered in 10 randomly selected locations in the Chisinau municipality, including bus and trolleybus stops, shopping centers, universities, and medical institutions. Results. The survey included a sample of 572 participants with an average age of 36 years. The majority were female (60.0%). The overall level of awareness of the benefits and harms of antibiotics was 63.8%, and appropriate antibiotic use practices were demonstrated by 68.3% of respondents. These practices include purchasing antibiotics with a prescription (60.0%) and taking antibiotics until completing the course of treatment (77.0%). Conclusions. Misconceptions and counterintuitive antimicrobial use practices undoubtedly complicate efforts to combat AMR and can lead to unintended consequences. Developing educational measures and promoting the responsible use of antibiotics are crucial priorities in combating antibiotic resistance and ensuring effective treatment outcomes.