ABSTRACT
Background: The health impact of antimicrobial resistance and the limited pipeline of new antimicrobial drugs has combined to make antimicrobial resistance a major public health challenge. Hence, a coordinated program that promotes the appropriate use of antimicrobials will help improve patient’s outcomes, reduce microbial resistance and decrease the spread of infections caused by multidrug-resistant organisms. Aim: This study assessed antimicrobial resistance and stewardship knowledge and practice among health care workers in Benin City and explored solutions to identified challenges. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 640 healthcare workers consisting of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, medical laboratory scientists, physiotherapists and occupational therapists in 3 selected health facilities in Benin City. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Respondents were selected using a multi-stage sampling technique. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences SPSS version 25.0, with level of significance set at p < 0.05. Data was presented using tables, charts and prose. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 34.4 ± 8.0 years and over half 380 (59.4%) were females while males constituted 260 (40.6%) of the total respondents surveyed. A greater proportion 290 (45.3%) of the respondents were nurses, 241 (37.7%) were doctors, while 36 (5.6%), 46 (7.2%), 20 (3.1%), 7 (1.1%) were pharmacists, medical laboratory scientists, physiotherapists, and occupational therapists respectively. A greater proportion, 266 (41.6%) had fair knowledge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and antimicrobial stewardship (AMS), while 140 (21.9%) and 234 (36.6%) had good knowledge and poor knowledge respectively. Majority 614 (95.9%) of the respondents had a positive attitude Commented [Ma1]: Adapted from where xiii towards antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial stewardship while 26 (4.1%) had a negative attitude. Over half, 287 (69.2%) of the respondents who were aware of AMS had good practices of antimicrobial stewardship, while 128 (30.8%) had poor practices. The association between knowledge and practice of AMS was not statistically significant while that of attitude and practice was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Profession was found to be a predictor of good practice of AMS. Pharmacists (O.R =1.038, p=0.661) were more likely to have good practices of AMS than doctors but this was not statistically significant. Nurses (O.R =0.423, p=0.011), Medical laboratory scientists (O.R =0.348, p=0.014) and physiotherapists (O.R =0.193, p=0.008) were less likely to have good practices than the doctors and this was statistically significant.
