Volume 26, Issue 128, October 2022

Overuse of antibiotics in Saudi children with upper respiratory infection and diarrhea

Rashid Awad Abdalla Salih¹, Ebtehaj Saud ALmughais², Fatmah Fahad Alreshidi², Samiah Ahmed Almehmadi³, Dalal Alayed⁴, Hella O. AlOthman⁵, Alrashidi Sari Mabrook⁶, Alrashidi Ibrahim Ahmad⁷, Fayez Dehlaus Alrashidy⁸, Mashael Alruwayshid⁹, Abeersuliman Alshuniefi¹⁰, Hussain Gadelkarim Ahmed^11♦

¹King Fahad Military Medical Complex, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
²Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Hail, Hail, Saudi Arabia
³Consultant family medicine, Lifestyle medicine specialist, Ministry of Health, Hail Health cluster, Saudi Arabia
⁴Saudi Board of Family Medicine; Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia
⁵Associate consultant in Family Medicine, King Abdulaziz Medical City, National Guard, Family Medicine department, Saudi Arabia
⁶Pharmacist one, NGHA, Al Madinah, Saudi Arabia
⁷Science Pharmacologist, Pharmacist one, Inventory control division, Royal Saudi Land Forces, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
⁸Pharmacist, Ministry of Health, Hail Health cluster, Saudi Arabia
⁹Senior register Family Medicine, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
¹⁰Family Medicine Registrar, Ministry of health, Saudi Arabia
¹¹Department of Histopathology and Cytology, FMLS, University of Khartoum, Sudan

^♦Corresponding author
Department of Histopathology and Cytology, FMLS, University of Khartoum, Sudan

ABSTRACT

Background: The growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has been accelerated in recent decades as a result of antibiotic abuse and misuse. The goal of the current study was to evaluate the misuse of pediatric antibiotics in Northern Saudi Arabia concerning upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) and diarrhea. Methodology: Between May and August 2022, 400 residents of Hail, Northern Saudi Arabia, participated in this community-based descriptive survey. Independent of their age, social position, educational attainment, or monthly income, the participants were picked at random. Results: Approximately 56.7% of fathers and 63% of mothers had engaged in antibiotic abuse. Most frequently, age between 35 and 45 years was implicated in antibiotic overuse 41.6%, followed by age between 25 and 35 years 36%. University graduates made up the majority of antibiotic misusers 63.7%, whereas those with secondary and primary educations made up 28.7% and 7.6%, respectively. Conclusion: In Northern Saudi Arabia, overuse of antibiotics is common, particularly among fathers' parents. Community-based educational initiatives on antibiotic abuse are necessary for addition to wristband laws to minimize antibiotic overuse in Northern Saudi Arabia.

Keywords: Antibiotic misuse, Antibiotic overuse, Antibiotic abuse, Saudi Arabia, pediatric, Diarrhea, URTI

Medical Science, 2022, 26, ms417e2496

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi/v26i128/ms417e2496

Published: 17 October 2022