Knowledge and practices regarding antibiotics use: findings from a cross-sectional survey among Italian adults.

The dataset was used in a cross-sectional study aimed to assess the knowledge of antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and the antibiotic use among the general public in Southern Italy and to analyze whether socio-demographic characteristics could be associated with poor knowledge and improper practices.
From March to November 2019, a face to face interview was conducted with all consecutive adult subjects attending the waiting room of 27 randomly selected general practitioners (GPs) and community based pediatrician (CBPs) in Southern Italy. Two trained physicians, not involved in patient care, conducted the structured face to face interview. All the information was self-reported by the participants, no medical records or interviews by any GP or CBP were used as sources of data.
The questionnaire covered a broad range of issues related to sociodemographic characteristics of the participants (gender, age, nationality, marital status, education level and employment status, having at least a son/daughter and his/her age), knowledge of antibiotics and AMR and practices regarding the consumption of antibiotics. Multivariate analyses were conducted using stepwise multivariate logistic regression modelling techniques to investigate the following outcomes: knowledge about antibiotics and AMR; antibiotic use in the previous 12 months; antibiotic use for common cold and/or fever; self-medication with antibiotics.
To assess knowledge, the participants were asked to respond to 10 different statements. An overall knowledge score was calculated by assigning one point for each correct response and summing the scores to each statement. The total score ranged from 0 to 10. The overall median knowledge score of the respondents was then estimated and a ≤50th percentile score was interpreted as poor knowledge, while a >50th percentile score as good knowledge.
The response rate was 89.7%. In the sample, 29.2% thought that antibiotics are effective for viral infections and 49.5% correctly recognized the definition of AMR. Predictors of good knowledge about antibiotics and AMR were female gender and a higher education level. Almost half of the respondents had used antibiotics in the previous year and 23.6% took antibiotics to treat a common cold and/or fever. Among participants, 25.5% reported to have bought antibiotics without a prescription, and 30.6% were classified as antibiotic self-medication users.
The findings of this study highlighted a considerable antibiotic consumption in the adult population of Southern Italy together with misconceptions regarding the correct indication for antibiotic use that could foster indiscriminate antibiotic use.

该数据集被应用于一项横断面研究，旨在评估意大利南部公众对抗生素及抗菌耐药性（AMR）的知识，并分析社会人口学特征是否与知识匮乏及不当使用行为相关联。研究于2019年3月至11月期间进行，通过对27位随机选取的意大利南部全科医生（GP）和社区儿科医生（CBP）候诊室中连续到来的成年受试者进行面对面访谈而展开。两位未参与患者护理的培训医师进行了结构化面对面访谈。所有信息均由参与者自行报告，未使用任何GP或CBP的医疗记录或访谈作为数据来源。

问卷涵盖了与参与者社会人口学特征（性别、年龄、国籍、婚姻状况、教育水平和就业状况、是否有子女及其年龄）相关的一系列问题，以及对抗生素及AMR的知识以及抗生素消费行为的调查。采用逐步多元logistic回归模型技术进行多元分析，以探究以下结果：对抗生素及AMR的知识；过去12个月内的抗生素使用情况；针对普通感冒和/或发热的抗生素使用；以及抗生素自我药疗。

为了评估知识水平，参与者被要求对10个不同的陈述做出回应。通过为每个正确回应分配一分并累计每个陈述的得分，计算出一个综合知识得分。总分为0至10分。然后，估计了受访者的综合中位数知识得分，并将≤50百分位数的得分解释为知识匮乏，而＞50百分位数的得分则解释为知识良好。

响应率为89.7%。在样本中，29.2%的人认为抗生素对病毒感染有效，49.5%的人正确地识别了AMR的定义。对抗生素及AMR知识的良好认知的预测因素包括女性性别和较高的教育水平。近一半的受访者在过去一年内使用过抗生素，23.6%的人因普通感冒和/或发热而服用抗生素。在参与者中，25.5%的人报告称他们未开处方购买抗生素，30.6%的人被归类为抗生素自我药疗用户。

该研究的结果突显了意大利南部成年人群中抗生素的过度消费，以及对抗生素正确使用指征的错误认知，这些认知可能加剧了抗生素的无差别使用。