Assessment of Self-Medication and Non-Compliance of Antibiotics Among Health Majored Students in Peshawar
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Background: Self-medication with antibiotics and non-compliance with prescribed antibiotic regimens are important contributors to antimicrobial resistance, particularly in settings where antibiotics remain easily accessible without prescription. Health sciences students are a key population because their antibiotic-related practices may influence future patient counseling and community behavior. Objective: To determine the frequency of antibiotic self-medication, assess antibiotic-related knowledge, and describe compliance patterns among allied health sciences students in Peshawar, Pakistan. Methods: This institution-based descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 450 allied health sciences students from Sarhad University of Science and Information Technology and Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, from 15 May to 30 July 2023. Data were collected using a structured self-administered questionnaire and analyzed in SPSS version 22 using frequencies and percentages. Results: Self-medication with antibiotics was reported by 365 students (81.1%). Although 429 participants (95.3%) were aware of antibiotics and 379 (84.2%) had heard of antibiotic resistance, only 180 (40.0%) correctly reported that self-medication increases resistance. Time-saving was the most common reported reason for self-medication (35.5%). Community pharmacies were the leading antibiotic source (37.6%), and 245 participants (54.4%) had recommended antibiotics to others without prescription. Dose skipping was reported often by 186 participants (41.3%). Conclusion: Antibiotic self-medication and non-compliance were common despite high general antibiotic awareness, indicating a substantial knowledge-practice gap. Targeted antimicrobial stewardship education and stronger enforcement of prescription-only antibiotic dispensing are needed
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