*Correspondence to: Dr. Bhattacharyya Sayan, UHU&TC Chetla under AIIH & PH Kolkata, India
Received: Feb 10, 2026; Accepted: Feb 20, 2026; Published: May 22, 2026
Citation: Sayan B, Dan A, Sanjoy B, Chakraborty R, Nayak A, et al. (2026) Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Antimicrobial Usage Among Patients Attending the Outpatient Clinic. Research Journal of Infectious Diseases and Therapy 1:101.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.61309/rjidt.1000101
Copyright: ©2026 Sayan B. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
ABSTRACT
Background: Antimicrobial resistance has emerged as a major global public health threat, largely driven by inappropriate use of antimicrobials. Patients’ knowledge and understanding of antimicrobials plays a crucial role in their rational use. Assessing public awareness and practices related to antimicrobial usage is essential to design effective educational interventions. Objective: To assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding antimicrobial use and indications among patients attending the outpatient clinic.
Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted among patients attending the outpatient clinic of a public health institute. A structured questionnaire consisting of socio-demographic details and questions related to knowledge, usage, and indications of antimicrobials was administered. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and associations between demographic variables and knowledge scores were evaluated.
Results: A total of 200 patients participated in the study and were interviewed. While 50% of respondents had heard of antimicrobials, very few correctly identified that antimicrobials are effective against bacterial infections only. Approximately 58% believed antimicrobials could be used for viral infections like common cold. Self-medication with antimicrobials was reported by 46% of participants. Knowledge scores were significantly higher among participants with higher educational status. Conclusion: The study revealed considerable gaps in patients’ knowledge regarding appropriate antimicrobial use and indications. Misconceptions and inappropriate practices such as self-medication were common. Targeted educational interventions in outpatient settings are urgently needed to promote rational antimicrobial use and combat antimicrobial resistance.
Keywords: Antimicrobials; Knowledge; Questionnaire; Outpatient clinic; Antimicrobial resistance; Rational drug use
