Nonprescribed Antimicrobial Drugs in Latino Community

Abstract

We investigated in a sample of Latinos the practices ofantimicrobial drug importation and use of nonprescribedantimicrobial drugs. In interviews conducted with 219adults, we assessed health beliefs and past and presentbehaviors consistent with acquiring antimicrobial drugswithout a prescription in the United States. Many (30.6%)believed that antimicrobial drugs should be available in theUnited States without a prescription. Furthermore, 16.4%had transported nonprescribed antimicrobial drugs into theUnited States, and 19.2% had acquired antimicrobialagents in the United States without a prescription. A step-wise logistic regression analysis showed that the best pre-dictors of having acquired nonprescribed antimicrobialdrugs in the United States were beliefs and behavior con-sistent with limited regulations on such drugs. Many per-sons within the Latino community self-medicate withantimicrobial drugs obtained without a prescription bothinside and outside the United States, which adds to thereservoir of antimicrobial drugs in the United States.