Behavior of Patients in the Far East in Relation to Antibacterial Drugs: Changes over 20 Years

The geographical remoteness, as well as the sparse population of most Asian Far Eastern regions of Russia, and the difficulties of receiving medical care, especially in small towns, can lead to a high frequency of independent use of antibiotics by the population; accordingly, there will be errors in drug therapy and an increase in antibiotic resistance. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to analyze changes in the behavior of patients in the Far East in relation to antibacterial drugs over 20 years. A sociological survey was conducted in 2005 and 2025. Statistical analyses were performed using the Kendall and Spearman rank correlation coefficient. The proportion of patients who purchase antibiotics without a doctor's prescription over the study period of 20 years decreased from 77% to 49%. At the same time, the share of respondents who use antimicrobial drugs without a doctor's prescription, on the contrary, increased from 42% to 61%. The most common reason for the use of antibiotics in 2005 was tonsillitis, and in 2025, there was an acute respiratory viral infection - which is an erroneous therapy strategy. The most sought-after antibiotics are Amoxicillin and Amoxicillin + Clavulanic acid. The proportion of mistakes of respondents at the mention of the necessity to use antibiotics in case of fever, as well as at the choice of the duration of the course of using the antibacterial drug, significantly increased. The results obtained demonstrate the need to strengthen restrictive and educational measures on the part of the state, as well as medical and pharmaceutical specialists.