KNOWLEDGE AND PERCEPTION TOWARDS ANTIBIOTICS USE AND RESISTANCE AMONG UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN A SELECTED TERTIARY INSTITUTION IN BENIN CITY, EDO STATE.

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study was to assess the knowledge and perception of undergraduate students towards antibiotics use and antibiotics resistance in the university of Benin which will help proffer insight into the Tertiary institution on what antibiotics resistance is and how many of the undergraduate students with low knowledge can be helped. The study was driven by the positivist research philosophy, a deductive approach and used a quantitative research design where a descriptive cross-sectional survey strategy was adopted. Data was gotten from a carefully structured questionnaire, which was administered and collected from the respondents. The sample size for the study was obtained from the total number of my target population in which focused faculties and departments for the study were obtained and then my sample size was determined which was 419. Data was summarized using charts and tables and an inferential statistics was used to test the hypothesis. Results from the study found that 181(43.2%) have good knowledge of, 68(16.2%) have fair knowledge while 170(40.6%) have poor knowledge, it also showed that the students have negative perception towards antibiotics use and antibiotics resistance; that there is no significant relationship between age and the perception of undergraduate students towards antibiotics resistance. In conclusion, the students had a good knowledge of antibiotics use and resistance, and also held a negative perception towards antibiotics use and resistance. The study recommended that health faculties should ensure that antibiotics are prescribed by health care practitioners and used as prescribed to prevent antibiotics resistance and also a competent study can be conducted among students from other institutions in Nigeria aside those attending the University of Benin to help salvage draw backs.