Date of Defense
12-4-2024
Date of Graduation
12-2024
Department
Nursing
First Advisor
Karen Schieman
Second Advisor
Jaime Neary
Abstract
On a global scale, antibiotic resistance is a threat to public health. The causes of antibiotic resistance are multifaceted, including healthcare providers overprescribing antibiotics, antibiotic overuse in farming and food production, and antibiotic misuse or malpractices. The public recognizes antibiotic resistance as a significant problem but there are serious knowledge gaps regarding antibiotic resistance and antibiotic stewardship.
University students are a particularly important subpopulation of the public to understand appropriate antibiotic use because many of these individuals are navigating their health concerns on their own for the first time. Many individuals believe that antibiotics can improve cold symptoms, upper respiratory infections, and even influenza. They will choose to self-medicate with antibiotics, even if their illness is viral. Students are often unaware of the side-effects and believe that antibiotics are a cost-effective option.
Education of proper antibiotic use would encourage appropriate antibiotic use and prevent multidrug-resistant pathogens from developing. These young adults should learn antibiotics only affect bacteria and that strains of bacteria require treatment with different antibiotics. Only a qualified healthcare provider can determine which antibiotic is appropriate for specific bacterial infections. These practices would promote safety for both individual health and the public health. In this study, students filled out a pre-intervention questionnaire to determine their perceptions and attitudes of antibiotic use. Then they were educated on appropriate antibiotic stewardship and completed a post-intervention questionnaire to determine the education effectiveness. The results of the study revealed that students had knowledge gaps regarding appropriate antibiotic use however, focused education can decrease these gaps and lead to improved behavior changes.
Recommended Citation
Boask, Emily, "Perceptions and Attitudes of Western Michigan University Students on Antibiotic Medications" (2024). Honors Theses. 3878.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/honors_theses/3878
Access Setting
Honors Thesis-Open Access
Defense Presentation