Antibiotic knowledge and self-care for acute respiratory tract infections in Mexico.

To examine knowledge of and self-treatment with antibiotics among medically-insured adults in Mexico. We conducted a cross-sectional, interviewer-administered survey among 101 adult patients seeking care for acute respiratory tract infections in a family medicine clinic in Mexico. Knowledge scores were calculated as a composite of correct, incorrect and don't know responses. Factors associated with antibiotic knowledge and antibiotic self-treatment were explored with bivariate analyses. 47% of participants were taking antibiotics prior to the visit, 20% were self-treating. Antibiotic knowledge was highly variable. Many participants believed common non-antibiotic treatments for colds and coughs were antibiotics, such as ambroxol (45%), Desenfriol (45%) and paracetamol (44%). Older participants (>40 years) had better knowledge scores. Self-treatment with and misperceptions about antibiotics are common among medically insured adults seeking medical attention in Mexico.

Citation

Ralph Gonzales, Alma Ethelia López-Caudana, Tulia González-Flores, Janaki Jayanthan, Kitty K Corbett, Hortensia Reyes-Morales. Antibiotic knowledge and self-care for acute respiratory tract infections in Mexico. Salud pública de México. 2012 Mar-Apr;54(2):152-7

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PMID: 22535174

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