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Article

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Antibiotic Sales in Pharmacies in Medellín, Colombia 2023

by
Daniel Ricardo Montes Colonia
1,
Daniela Ramírez Patiño
2 and
Luis Felipe Higuita-Gutiérrez
1,3,*
1
Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia, Medellín 050012, Colombia
2
Hospital Pablo Tobón Uribe, Medellín 050034, Colombia
3
Escuela de Microbiología, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín 050010, Colombia
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Antibiotics 2023, 12(9), 1456; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics12091456
Submission received: 4 September 2023 / Revised: 17 September 2023 / Accepted: 18 September 2023 / Published: 19 September 2023
(This article belongs to the Section Antibiotics Use and Antimicrobial Stewardship)

Abstract

Objective: Describe the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding the sale of antibiotics in pharmacies in Medellín, Colombia. Method: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in 277 selected pharmacies using a stratified sampling method with proportional allocation to represent all areas of the city. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAPs) were assessed using a scale, analyzed with absolute and relative frequencies for each item, and represented in a global score ranging from 0 to 100, with a higher score indicating better KAPs. Data were analyzed using relative frequencies with 95% confidence intervals, the Mann-Whitney U test, the Kruskal-Wallis test, and linear regression. Results: Of the included pharmacies, 52.6% were chain pharmacies, 48.4% were attended by pharmacy assistants, and 59% of pharmacists had more than 5 years of experience. The median knowledge score was 70.8 (IQR 58.3–87.5), with 35.3% of pharmacists believing that antibiotics are effective in treating the common cold, 35.2% for treating COVID-19, and 29.4% considering them available for sale without a medical prescription. The attitude score was 53.3 (40.0–66.7), with 60.9% agreeing that prohibiting the sale of antibiotics without a prescription would decrease their sales. The practice score was 62.5 (40.0–79.2), with 65.4% of pharmacists stating that they sometimes sell antibiotics without a prescription due to patients struggling to obtain a medical consultation, 61.3% admitting to selling antibiotics without a prescription for urinary tract infections, and 41.3% for upper respiratory tract infections. Practices were predominantly influenced by pharmacy type (chain or independent) and, to a lesser extent, by knowledge and attitudes. Conclusion: Pharmacists in Medellín exhibit inadequate knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding the use and sale of antibiotics without a medical prescription. These findings align with international evidence highlighting the need for educational and regulatory strategies promoting rational antibiotic use in pharmacies.
Keywords: antibiotics; community pharmacies; health knowledge; attitude; practice; prescription drug overuse antibiotics; community pharmacies; health knowledge; attitude; practice; prescription drug overuse

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MDPI and ACS Style

Colonia, D.R.M.; Ramírez Patiño, D.; Higuita-Gutiérrez, L.F. Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Antibiotic Sales in Pharmacies in Medellín, Colombia 2023. Antibiotics 2023, 12, 1456. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics12091456

AMA Style

Colonia DRM, Ramírez Patiño D, Higuita-Gutiérrez LF. Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Antibiotic Sales in Pharmacies in Medellín, Colombia 2023. Antibiotics. 2023; 12(9):1456. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics12091456

Chicago/Turabian Style

Colonia, Daniel Ricardo Montes, Daniela Ramírez Patiño, and Luis Felipe Higuita-Gutiérrez. 2023. "Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Antibiotic Sales in Pharmacies in Medellín, Colombia 2023" Antibiotics 12, no. 9: 1456. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics12091456

APA Style

Colonia, D. R. M., Ramírez Patiño, D., & Higuita-Gutiérrez, L. F. (2023). Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Antibiotic Sales in Pharmacies in Medellín, Colombia 2023. Antibiotics, 12(9), 1456. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics12091456

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