Awareness and knowledge of antimicrobial resistance and factors associated with knowledge among adults in Dessie City, Northeast Ethiopia: Community-based cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial resistance is an important global health challenge. The current study aimed to assess the level of awareness and knowledge of antimicrobial resistance and factors associated with knowledge among adults in Dessie City, Ethiopia. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 407 adults in Dessie City from June to July 2021. A systematic random sampling technique was used to select respondents, and Google Form was used to collect data online. The data was analyzed by SPSS Version 26. The associated factors of knowledge of antimicrobial resistance were identified by using bivariate and multivariable logistic regression. Independent variables with a P-value <0.2 were selected as candidate variables for multivariable logistic regression. Those variables with a P-value <0.05 were declared statistically significant factors. RESULT: Out of the required sample sizes, four hundred and seven participants were enrolled, giving a response rate of 99.3%. One hundred and fifty-two (37.3%) respondents were females. Nearly one-third of the respondents (28.3%) have taken antibiotics in the last 6 months. In this study, 73.7% of study participants were aware of the existence of germs; 58.2% were aware of the existence of antibiotic resistance to bacteria; 47.7% were aware of the existence of drug resistance; 39.8% were aware of the existence of antimicrobial resistance; and 36.6% were aware of the existence of antibiotic resistance. Sixty-four (15.7%) respondents were not aware of any of the above terms. Sixty (14.7%) of the respondents were not aware of any risk factor for antimicrobial resistance. About 63 (15.5%) of the respondents did not know the consequences of antimicrobial resistance. Two hundred and thirty-eight (58.5%) respondents had good knowledge of antimicrobial resistance. In this study, being male (AOR = 1.99; 95% CI: 1.23,3.20), college and above educational level (AOR = 3.50; 95% CI: 1.08,11.39), grade 11–12 educational level (AOR = 3.73; 95% CI: 1.20,11.61), getting advice from health professionals about how to take antibiotics (AOR = 1.84; 95% CI:1.07,3.17), using health professionals as a source of information on antibiotics (AOR = 2.51; 95% CI: 1.48,4.25), and taking antibiotics without prescription (AOR = 1.86; 95% CI: 1.04,3.30) were significantly associated with good knowledge of antimicrobial resistance. CONCLUSION: The study identified low awareness and knowledge of antimicrobial resistance among adults. Being male, higher educational level, getting advice from health professionals about how to take antibiotics, using health professionals as a source of information on antibiotics, and taking antibiotics without a prescription were significantly associated with good knowledge of antimicrobial resistance. Educational campaigns would be highly desirable for the public to improve their awareness and knowledge of antimicrobial resistance.