Antibiotic self-medication in university students from Trujillo, Peru

Abstract

Antibiotic self-medication is a kind of indiscriminate use of antibiotics. This practice has been growing worldwide, and has been identified as a risk factor for bacterial resistance (according to the WHO, it is one of the most difficult public health problems to combat in the XXI century). This activity has also been observed in the university population, and there is some literature reporting factors among young people that could increase it. To describe risk factors associated with antibiotic self-medication among university students from Trujillo, Peru. An observational, analytical, retrospective study was performed using a questionnaire. It was applied to 1000 college students selected by proportional allocation from three universities in Trujillo. Seventy percent self-medicated two or more times during the last year. The drug most often used for self-medication was amoxicillin, by 133 students (20.33%). An association was found between antibiotic self-medication and the female gender. No association was found between antibiotic self-medication and age (p = 0.46), economic monthly income (p = 0.83), knowledge level (p = 0.23), health sciences programs (p = 0.14) and college year (p = 0.15). A high use of antibiotic self-medication was reported and a probable link to females. However, we could not establish an association between antibiotic self-medication and age, income, prior knowledge about antibiotics, school programs or college years.