Awareness of antibiotic resistance among medical students in Kerala State, India: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Antibiotic resistance is a natural phenomenon, but its misuse has expedited resistance. One of the best measures to tackle antibiotic resistance in the community would be to educate medical students and create awareness among them regarding antibiotic resistance. The objectives of this study were to assess the level of awareness of antibiotic resistance among undergraduate medical students and to determine the factors affecting the awareness. Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study using a structured questionnaire among undergraduate medical students from the 1st year to the 4th year. Results: Three hundred and fifty-four undergraduate medical students from the 1st year to the 4th year were enrolled. More than 80% of students were from the 18–22-year age group, and more than half were female. Only 56.2% of participants had adequate awareness of antibiotic resistance. The academic year was not significantly associated with the awareness. Age and gender also had no significant association. Parent's education, parent's occupation, parents being medical practitioners and family income also had no significant association. Conclusion: Awareness levels regarding antibiotic resistance among medical students were slightly above 50%. Moreover, it seems to be a worldwide phenomenon too. Further studies are recommended to evaluate the practices and attitudes regarding the same. A “catch them young” policy would be a good step to tackle antimicrobial resistance at its inception itself. Moreover, it should start at the local level. Similar studies can be conducted among medical practitioners and health-care workers and at the community level.