Addressing Antibiotic Resistance: A Cross-Sectional Study of Awareness, Knowledge, and Prescribing Practices Among Healthcare Professionals

Abstract

We conducted this cross-sectional study to evaluate the awareness, knowledge, and prescribing practices regarding antibiotic resistance among healthcare professionals, recognizing that inappropriate antibiotic use remains a critical driver of global resistance. A structured questionnaire was administered to 300 participants, comprising general physicians, specialists, surgeons, and other practitioners from diverse clinical settings. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed on the collected data. Our results revealed that only 51.0% of respondents reported awareness of antibiotic resistance, while 49.0% were unaware. Knowledge levels were average for 35.7%, good for 33.0%, and poor for 31.3% of participants. Furthermore, 39.7% of healthcare professionals denied prescribing antibiotics for viral infections, yet 30.0% admitted to doing so regularly. Guideline adherence was suboptimal, with 37.0% never following treatment guidelines. Notably, 50.7% of participants had received no training on antimicrobial stewardship. Moreover, only 36.7% perceived antibiotic resistance as a serious issue. The study identifies significant gaps in both awareness and practice, particularly in the context of viral infection management and guideline compliance. These findings underscore the urgent need for mandatory, periodic educational programs and robust regulatory policies to improve prescribing behaviors. The contribution of this research is its quantification of specific deficits—such as inadequate training and poor guideline adherence—that can directly inform targeted interventions. Hence, this work provides evidence-based direction for institutional and policy-level actions to mitigate the growing threat of antibiotic resistance.