Abstract

Background: Incorrect prescription of antibiotics is often seen as the primary source of increasing antibiotic resistance. Thereby, this study aimed to study the level of Saudi parents’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices on antibiotic use for upper respiratory tract infections in children, in Saudi Arabia, and to compare the level of parenteral awareness with different socio-demographic factors.
Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted in different major cities in Saudi Arabia in 2020, among Saudi parents. The study was conducted using an online self-administered questionnaire via Google Forms.
Results: A total of 560 responses were processed, of which 50.9% were male and most of them were in the age group of 36-45 years. The mean knowledge score was found to be 6.2 ±1.7. Participants with a good level of knowledge were 450 (80.4%). Level of knowledge was significantly associated with age, gender, and marital status (p = 0.003, 0.000, 0.008, respectively).
Conclusion: A large proportion of the participants had a good knowledge level about antibiotic use; however, majority of them always took antibiotics without a doctor’s recommendation.

Key words: Knowledge, attitude, perceptions, antibiotic use, upper respiratory tract infections