Knowledge, attitude, and practices of pharmacy professionals in Freetown regarding antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobial resistance, a growing global public health concern, is a growing issue affecting pharmacy professionals and patients. The WHO estimates that bacterial antimicrobial resistance led to 4.95 million deaths worldwide in 2019 and could lead to $1 trillion in increased healthcare expenses by 2050. Pharmacy vendors, including pharmacists and non-pharmacists, play a crucial role in the fight against antimicrobial resistance, but there is low knowledge about antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance among pharmacy professionals. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices of pharmacy professionals regarding antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance, finding that respondents had significant misconceptions about antimicrobial resistance and varied dispensing practices. Data collection was done using a 35-item online questionnaire, and sampling was done using a random sampling method. Excel 2016 was used for analysis, using a mixed method approach (qualitative and quantitative). Factors such as market competition, work experience, education levels, and attitude scores influenced practice scores. Further training and monitoring are needed to address antimicrobial resistance.