AORN Journal: Public aware of but confused about antibiotic resistance

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Public aware of but confused about antibiotic resistance - Brief Article

A recent poll conducted by Harris Interactive measured the public's knowledge about the use and abuse of antibiotics, according to a Jan 23, 2002, news release from the organization. Medical authorities consent that antibiotics are prescribed too often, causing the evolution of new strains of bacteria that increasingly are medication resistant. This leads to more difficulty and expense in treating bacterial diseases such as tuberculosis.

Results of the survey show that many people are confused about antibiotics. Seventy-nine percent of those surveyed know that viruses, not bacteria, cause colds, and 61% know that antibiotics are ineffective in treating viruses, yet 49% believe that antibiotics are somewhat effective for colds and flus. Only a moderate difference in knowledge is based on education. For instance, of those who incorrectly believe that bacteria cause colds and flus, 19% had a high school education or less, and 10% had postgraduate degrees.

Of those polled, 93% have seen, heard, or read about diseases becoming resistant to antibiotics because of their overuse. This subject has been the basis for much discussion and debate, and addressing this issue successfully is dependent on public knowledge. It is believed that when patients ask their physicians for antibiotics, even for illnesses for which antibiotics are ineffective, many physicians prescribe them. The fact that the majority of people are well informed is good; however, almost one half of the population still believes that antibiotics are somewhat effective for treating colds and flus.

This survey was conducted online from Nov 9 to Nov 14, 2001. Two thousand fifty-three adults responded. The survey is weighted to be representative of one half of US adults. The sampling and weighting methods used were the same that Harris Interactive used to accurately predict the 2000 elections.

Harris Interactive Data Show Most Are Reasonably Well Informed on the Use and Abuse of Antibiotics (news release, Rochester, NY: Harris Interactive, Jan 23, 2002) http://www.harrisinteractive.com/news/printerfriendly.asp?NewsID=421 (accessed 28 Feb 2002).