RT Journal Article
T1 Antibiotic Resistance Awareness among Undergraduate Students in Quito, Ecuador
A1 Ortega-Paredes, David
A1 Larrea-Álvarez, César Marcelo
A1 Torres Elizalde, Lilibeth
A1 de Janon, Sofía
A1 Vinueza Burgos, Christian
A1 Hidalgo Arellano, Luis
A1 Šefcová, Miroslava Anna
A1 Molina Cuasapaz, Gabriel
A1 Fernández Moreira, Esteban
A1 Larrea Álvarez, Marco
AB The inappropriate use of antibiotics leads to antibiotic resistance, which reduces their efficacy. The education of undergraduates is likely to influence their practices. Assessing awareness is critical in the general effort to confront the spread of antibiotic resistance. This cross-sectional investigation was carried out using the questionnaire “Antibiotic resistance: Multi-country public awareness” developed by the World Health Organization. Students from different backgrounds at the Central University participated in the study (n = 733). The survey comprised five sections: demographics, knowledge, usage, sources of information, and attitudes. The rate of correct answers was 64.88%; differences were detected between programs of study (p < 0.001); effect size analysis showed that these differences cannot be considered large. Individuals from applied sciences scored higher than their counterparts from social studies. Mostly, interviewees were knowledgeable about usage, but mistakenly associated antibiotics with conditions such as cold/flu or viral illnesses; also, they associated antibiotic resistance with the patient and not with bacteria. Despite these misconceptions, positive attitudes were registered overall, and students generally adhered to common practices. They cited doctors/nurses and teachers as sources of information. As a consequence, it is recommended to develop courses that address deficient knowledge regarding antibiotic resistance, especially for individuals affiliated to social disciplines.
PB MDPI
YR 2022
FD 2022-02-03
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/125089
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/125089
LA eng
NO Ortega-Paredes, D., Larrea-Álvarez, C. M., Torres-Elizalde, L., de Janon, S., Vinueza-Burgos, C., Hidalgo-Arellano, L., Šefcová, M. A., Molina-Cuasapaz, G., Fernandez-Moreira, E., & Larrea-Álvarez, M. (2022). Antibiotic Resistance Awareness among Undergraduate Students in Quito, Ecuador. Antibiotics, 11(2), 197. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics11020197
DS Docta Complutense
RD 17 dic 2025