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Knowledge, attitudes, and practices on antibiotic use and resistance among adolescents and young people in Sierra Leone: a cross-sectional study

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The studies on knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and use among adolescents and young people are largely from Europe and the Asia region. All such studies reported a low level of understanding of antibiotic resistance and the rational use of antibiotics among adolescents and young people who are at a formative stage when health behaviours are being shaped. There are limited such studies from West Africa, despite a high AMR burden in the region. We therefore conducted a study to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice on antibiotic use and resistance among adolescents and young people in Sierra Leone. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted among adolescents and young people (15-29 years) who participated in the National Girls Summit-2024 in Sierra Leone. A validated self-administered questionnaire with 29 questions was used to collect data: demography (4 questions); knowledge (14 questions); attitude (3 questions); and practice (8 questions). Data were analyzed using Stata version 15, with results presented using frequencies and percentages. RESULTS: Of the 235 participants, over half (133, 56.6%) had attained university education, and a smaller proportion (14, 6.0%) had completed vocational training. The majority (144, 61.3%) of the adolescents and young people had used an antibiotic within the last 30 days before the study. Over two-thirds (180, 76.6%) of adolescents and young people had heard about antibiotic resistance, and most of them got the information from their academic institutions (67, 37.2%) and the radio (15.0%). Almost half (110, 46.8%) had poor knowledge about antibiotic use and resistance. The majority (139, 59.1%) had a negative attitude towards antibiotic use and resistance, and most (205, 87.2%) of them demonstrated poor practices in antibiotic use. CONCLUSION: Our study revealed that adolescents and young people in Sierra Leone have a limited understanding of antibiotic resistance. Limited knowledge may drive inappropriate antibiotic use, further increasing the AMR burden in the country. We recommend implementing school and university-based antimicrobial stewardship initiatives to enhance awareness and understanding of antibiotic resistance and promote rational use of antibiotics.

Source: BMC Public Health

DOI: 10.1186/s12889-025-25223-5