Antimicrobial resistance related knowledge, attitude and practice of general practitioners, patients and farmers: A cross-sectional study in Uzbekistan.

OBJECTIVES

The objective was to identify antimicrobial resistance related knowledge, attitudes and practice gaps of general practitioners, patients and farmers.

METHODS

Cross-sectional, mixed-mode (in-person and distance) survey conducted out among the key antimicrobial prescribers and consumers in Uzbekistan, from March to October 2020. We calculated knowledge and attitude scores and applied multivariable adaptive linear regression.

RESULTS

Data were collected from 718 adults (236 - GPs, 251 - patients and 231 - farmers) aged 18 years and older. 66.5 % (n = 157) of general practitioners didn't base their antimicrobials prescription on guidelines. A third were not familiar with the delayed antibiotic prescriptions strategy. Most general practitioners prescribe antibiotics on patients' request; one third if patients have fever, almost 60 % (n = 142) if patients have cough with sputum.Majority of patients believed that antibiotics can cure influenza and cold. Every third farmer thought that antibiotics is an antiviral and every fifth a tool to increase productivity. Almost two third of them used antibiotics to protect livestock/poultry/fish from disease.For all three groups, the strongest predictor for the right attitude was the knowledge level.

CONCLUSIONS

All three groups had knowledge gaps in the form of misconception and problem underestimation which manifests itself as a wrong practice. Interventions are needed at the national, institutional and individual levels, in particular in the trainings of general practitioners and farmers.