Rational antibiotic use among university students a study on knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP)

Scientific Reports

卷:16

Article

Mahdi Marzi¹  Ayşe Karacalı Tunç²  Muhammet Oğuzhan Dönmez³  Göksel Şener³  Şebnem Marzi⁴ 

[1] Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Fenerbahçe University, 34758, Istanbul, Turkey

[2] Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Fenerbahçe University, 34758, Istanbul, Turkey

[3] Department of Medical Imaging Techniques Program, Health Vocational School, Fenerbahçe University, 34758, Istanbul, Türkiye

[4] Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Iğdır University, 76000, Iğdır, Türkiye

关键词: Antimicrobial resistance;    Antibiotic misuse;    Health literacy;    eHealth literacy;    Knowledge–attitude–practice;    University students;    Self-medication;   

DOI  :  10.1038/s41598-026-58861-9

 received in 2026-05-03, accepted in 2026-06-17,  发布年份 2026

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

To examine the associations between antibiotic use behaviors and knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP), digital health literacy, general health literacy, and medication-related beliefs among university students. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1,012 university students using a structured online questionnaire. Data on KAP, eHealth literacy (eHEALS), general health literacy (HLS-EU-Q6), and beliefs about medicines (BMQ) were collected. Non-parametric tests, correlation analyses, and multivariate logistic regression were performed to identify factors associated with non-prescription antibiotic use. The prevalence of non-prescription antibiotic use was 13.9%. Knowledge scores increased across academic years (p < 0.001) but were not associated with reduced risky behaviors. Attitude scores were negatively associated with non-prescription antibiotic use (OR = 0.536, p = 0.006), whereas risky behavior score was the strongest positive predictor (OR = 2.344, p < 0.001). Prior health literacy training was associated with increased odds of non-prescription use (OR = 1.814, p = 0.038). Knowledge and general health literacy were not significant predictors. Correlation analysis showed a moderate association between knowledge and attitudes (ρ = 0.415) and a negative association between attitudes and risky behaviors (ρ = −0.390). Antibiotic misuse among university students was more strongly associated with behavioral and attitudinal factors than with knowledge levels. These findings highlight the limitations of knowledge-based interventions and support the need for integrated strategies incorporating behavioral approaches and critical health literacy skills to reduce inappropriate antibiotic use.

【 授权许可】

CC BY-NC-ND   
© The Author(s) 2026

【 图 表 】

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