Assessment of Awareness among Medical Students on the WHO Access, Watch, and Reserve (AWaRe) Classification of Antibiotics
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Clinical Trial
Abstract: Background and objective: Antibiotics are essential for the treatment of bacterial infections. Inappropriate antibiotic prescribing patterns lead to the development of increasingly resistant bacterial strains. One of the most effective methods to combat antibiotic resistance is the WHO Access, Watch, and Reverse (AWaRe) classification of antibiotics. The study was therefore an effort to determine whether there is any impact on increasing awareness of the WHO AWaRe antibiotic classification among third-year medical students who will become future doctors. Methods: Interventional study with an educational intervention was conducted in the Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Gazi Medical College, Khulna, and Armed Forces Medical College, Dhaka, from April 2025 to November 2025. A total of 183 participants of 3rd year medical students were participated. The awareness of medical students on knowledge, attitude, and antibiotic prescribing perception was assessed and compared using a 10-item structured questionnaire. Results: Students who had not heard about the AWaRe classification of antibiotics in the pre-interventional phase were 80.9%, but the knowledge regarding the meaning and purpose of AWaRe classification of antibiotics increased from 6.6% to 44.3% after receiving the intervention. The percentage of students who agreed to follow the AWaRe classification of antibiotics in their future practice increased from 65.6% to 78.1%, and the percentage of students who agreed that the AWaRe classification of antibiotics can suggest safe choices of antibiotics increased from 47.5% to 64%. A significant increase (p <0.05) in knowledge, attitude, and perception score was found after educational intervention. Conclusion: This study revealed significant gaps in knowledge and attitudes towards AWaRe, emphasizing the necessity of increasing awareness amongst medical practitioners to promote rational use of antibiotics. Mediscope 2026;13(1): 08-15
Source: Mediscope
Institution: Armed Forces Medical College
Language: English
Subfield: Infectious Diseases
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7127044735