Abstract

The self-medication has always been favored by usually over-the-counter (OTC) drugs available in pharmacies and in local retail outlets. In the developed countries, 3–68% of antibiotics are sold without prescription with a pediatric self-medication rate above 80%. This study was aimed to asses parents knowledge, practices and challenges in the use of antibiotics in children <5years at the Muea community. It employed a cross sectional study design and data was obtained using a well-structured questionnaire and the data obtained was analyzed using a Microsoft excel.

The result obtained for the knowledge it can be seen that up to 48(52.2%) of the respondent knew that, antibiotics is not effective in viral infections, the overall knowledge was (69.9%) which implies a good practice. Based on practices it can be seen that 66(71.7%) attested that they had given their children antibiotics without a doctor’s prescription, from the results obtained it can be seen that the respondents had a poor practice of (58.5%). Based on the challenges it can be seen that 48(52.2%) reported that the choice of antibiotics given to their children is determined by their finances.

I recommended that; The regional delegation of public Health for southwest should organize campaigns to increase awareness on antibiotics use among the general population, especially among caregivers such as parents

The implementation of strategies to adequately limit the acquisition of antibiotics without prescription should be a priority in the Muea community, especially focusing on monitoring and controlling the establishments where antimicrobials are sold.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

The use of antibiotic-producing microbes to prevent diseases stretches back millennia, with traditional poultices of mouldy bread being used to treat open wounds in Serbia, China, Greece and Egypt more than 2000 years ago (Aminov, 2010). However, in 1928, Alexander Fleming discovered the first antibiotics penicillin it took over a decade before penicillin was introduced as a treatment for bacterial infections (Maurois, et al.,1952). Also, in 1930, a German biochemist Gerhard Domagk developed the first commercial available antibacterial which was protonsil, a sulphonamide (Sneader, et al.,2001).

Antibiotics are chemical substances produced by a living organism that kill or stop the growth of disease-causing microorganisms such as fungi and bacterial (Lancelot, et al.,2022). Antibiotics are used to treat or prevent some types of bacterial and fungi infections like chlamydia, syphilis, pneumonia, cellulitis and many more. Antibiotics have played a major role since the 20th century on reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with common infectious diseases and have therefore had an important impact on health care and human longevity (world Health Organization (WHO), 2014).

Antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents are invaluable life savers, particularly in resource-limited countries where bacterial infections are predominant in both adults and childhood illness, contributing to the sustainable use of antibiotics which is the most important drugs of choice in the therapeutic arsenal (Jamison, et al.,2017).This therapeutic and societal benefit of antibiotics appears to be threatened by abuse, self-medication, and misuse of antibiotics. In many countries, taking medicines, such as antibiotics, without a prescription has been a common occurrence of everyday of life for many years. Younger children are often given medications by their parents.

In developing countries like Cameroon, studies have revealed a higher burden (30–85%) of self-medication (Mumtazy, et al.,2011), and in additions, the medications taken are often misused and the parents have wrong habits (Cars, et al.,2001).  The self-medication of antibiotics remains a global problem and the misuse and overuse of antibiotics are further complicated by the spread of infections involving multi-drug resistant bacteria (MDRBs) which limit the action of drugs previously considered to be highly effective.Thus, tackling the global spread of antibiotic resistance is a high priority for the World Health Organization (WHO) which recommended creating increased awareness about self-medication and its control ( Jamison, et al.,2006).

In first World Report on World Resistance, presented in 2014 in Geneva and covering 114 countries, the WHO warned “Unless we take significant actions to improve efforts to prevent infections and also change how we produce, prescribe and use antibiotics, the world will lose more and more of these global public health goods and the implications will be devastating” (WHO, 2012). If the effective use of antibiotics is lost, common infections presently managed easily would re-emerge as potentially life-threatening. Thus, this  study explored the knowledge, practices and challenges of parents on the use of antibiotics among children <5years of age at the Muea Community.

1.2 Problem Statement

In recent years, antibiotic resistance has become a major problem for the global public health (WHO 2015). Antibiotic resistance challenges the treatment of common infectious diseases, increases mortality rates and treatment costs [WHO 2014]. Antibiotics resistance occurs naturally; however, inadequate antibiotic use, poor patient adherence to antibiotics and insufficient regulation of antibiotics increase its propagation [WHO 2020].

The main reason for the development of resistance is the misuse and lack of antibiotic stewardship. In Cameroon antibiotic use is not well regulated, enabling self-medication [Cars, O 2019]. Some studies report important gaps in parents’ understanding of antibiotics: some believe that these drugs can cure viral infections [Hallas MP, et al 2017).

Despite the limited knowledge on the use of antibiotics by parents in rural settings, high rates of resistant pathogens among children in rural communities have been reported [Kristiansson C et al; 2008]. This cross sectional study was aimed at investigating parents knowledge, practices and challenges face towards antibiotics use in children < 5 years of age at the Muea community.

1.3 Objectives

1.3.1     General Objective

-To investigate parent’s knowledge, practices and challenges on antibiotic use in children at the Muea community.

1.3.2 Specific Objectives

1. To assess parents knowledge on the use of antibiotics in children < 5years of age at the Muea community.
2. To identify parents practices on the use of antibiotics in children <5 years of age at the Muea community.
3. To identify parent’s challenges on the use of antibiotics in children <5years of age at the Muea Community.

Check out: Nursing Project Topics with Materials