The Predictors Influencing the Rational Use of Antibiotics Among Public Sector: A Community-Based Survey in Thailand

BACKGROUND: The spread and emergence of antimicrobial resistance is the significant public health concerns over past decades. The major leading cause comes from irrational use of antibiotics. AIM: To explore the characteristics of rational use of antibiotics and identify its predictive factors among public sector living in Nakhon Nayok Province, Thailand. METHODS: This project was conducted by using the data-source from Rational Use of Antibiotics (RUA) Survey Project at Nakhon Nayok Province. A cross-sectional community-based study method and face to face interviews were conducted. Two hundred fifty-four participants were selected by using Quota sampling method. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the sociodemographic and antibiotics use characteristics. Chi-square test were utilized to determine the association between explanatory variables and major outcome while multiple logistic regression was analysed to identify the predictors of antibiotics use behavior. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 42 years, those with aged between 35 and 56 had more rational use of antibiotics behavior than those with 13–34 years while older adults (57–78 years) were significantly associated with irrational use of antibiotics [AOR = 0.38; 95% CI (0.17–0.85)] than those with less than 34 years of age. Less than half (45.7%) and about one third of them (31.1%) showed adequate knowledge and appropriate attitude towards antibiotics use. An adequate knowledge [AOR = 3.37; 95% CI (1.92–5.90)], appropriate attitude [AOR = 2.90; 95% CI (1.54–5.43)], not using antibiotics within last 3 months [AOR = 1.89; 95% CI (1.04–3.43)], and not visiting drugstore when having three main diseases [AOR = 2.04; 95% CI (1.06–3.92)] were the significant predictors of rational antibiotics use (p-value <0.05). CONCLUSION: Strategies development in terms of knowledge and attitude enhancement about antibiotics use particularly at the different ages together with RDU pharmacy encouragement and policy restriction of community drugstores antibiotics sales are the most effective method to promote rational antibiotics use behavior in the public sector.