Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35115769›Full record

ArticlePatient preference and adherence2022

Antibiotics in the Community During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study to Understand Users' Perspectives of Antibiotic Seeking and Consumption Behaviors in Bangladesh.

Md Abul Kalam, Shahanaj Shano, Sharmin Afrose, Md Nasir Uddin, Nafis Rahman, Faruk Ahmed Jalal, Samira Akter, Ariful Islam, Md Mujibul Anam, Mohammad Mahmudul Hassan

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Patient preference and adherence, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

10 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. A pill for every ill? Unpacking antibiotic misuse among Bangladeshi university students.International journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being · 2025
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Observational
  7. Review
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Md Abul KalamBangladesh Country Office, Helen Keller International, Dhaka, 1212, Bangladesh.ORCID 0000-0003-4236-8519
Shahanaj ShanoInstitute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), Dhaka, 1212, Bangladesh.
Sharmin AfroseWorld Food Programme, Dhaka, 1207, Bangladesh.
Md Nasir UddinInstitute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), Dhaka, 1212, Bangladesh.
Nafis RahmanDepartment of Public Health, American International University of Bangladesh, Dhaka, 1212, Bangladesh.
Faruk Ahmed JalalHandicap International - Humanity & Inclusion, Dhaka, 1212, Bangladesh.ORCID 0000-0002-7722-207X
Samira AkterDepartment of Anthropology, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka, 1243, Bangladesh.
Ariful IslamEcoHealth Alliance, New York, NY, USA.
Md Mujibul AnamDepartment of Anthropology, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka, 1243, Bangladesh.ORCID 0000-0002-2166-7694
Mohammad Mahmudul HassanChattogram Veterinary and Animal Science University, Chattogram, 4225, Bangladesh.ORCID 0000-0001-6495-4637

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThe COVID-19 pandemic is thought to have led to increased "inappropriate" or "unjustified" seeking and consumption of antibiotics by individuals in the community. However, little reference has been made to antibiotic seeking and using behaviors from the perspectives of users in Bangladesh during this health crisis. PURPOSE: This study seeks to document how antibiotic medicines are sought and used during a complex health crisis, and, within different contexts, what are the nuanced reasons why patients may utilize these medicines sub-optimally.

methodsWe used an exploratory, qualitative design. Forty semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with people diagnosed with COVID-19 (n=20), who had symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 (n=20), and who had received care at home in two cities between May and June 2021 in Bangladesh. In this study, an inductive thematic analysis was performed.

resultsThe analysis highlighted the interlinked relationships of antibiotic seeking and consumption behaviors with the diversity of information disseminated during a health crisis. Antibiotic-seeking behaviors are related to previous experience of use, perceived severity of illness, perceived vulnerability, risk of infection, management of an "unknown" illness and anxiety, distrust of expert advice, and intrinsic agency on antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Suboptimal adherence, such as modifying treatment regimes and using medication prescribed for others, were found to be part of care strategies used when proven therapeutics were unavailable to treat COVID-19. Early cessation of therapy was found to be a rational practice to avoid side effects and unknown risks.

conclusionBased on the results, we highly recommend the take up of a pandemic specific antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) program in the community. To deliver better outcomes of AMS, incorporating users' perspectives could be a critical strategy. Therefore, a co-produced AMS intervention that is appropriate for a specific cultural context is an essential requirement to reduce the overuse of antibiotics during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

Indexed as

antimicrobial resistanceantimicrobial stewardshipsBangladeshcommunity engagementconsumption behaviorCOVID-19

Identifiers

PMID35115769
PMCPMC8806049

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.