ArticleAntimicrobial resistance and infection control2022
A cross-sectional study of antimicrobial use among self-medicating COVID-19 cases in Nyeri County, Kenya.
Article in Antimicrobial resistance and infection control, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers.
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14 citing papers in PubMed.
- Prevalence and Associated Factors for Purchasing Antibiotics Without a Prescription Among Patients in Rural South Africa: Implications for Addressing Antimicrobial Resistance.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Examine the Impact of Self-Medicated Antibiotics on Gut Bacterial Diversity From COVID-19 Patients in Gopalganj, Bangladesh.MicrobiologyOpen · 2025Article
- Status and implications of the knowledge, attitudes and practices towards AWaRe antibiotic use, resistance and stewardship among low- and middle-income countries.JAC-antimicrobial resistance · 2025Review
- One health approach unravels worrying antimicrobial resistance patterns: A cross-sectional study in Kisii, Kenya.PloS one · 2025Article
- Azithromycin Resistance Patterns in Escherichia coli and Shigella before and after COVID-19, Kenya.Emerging infectious diseases · 2024Article
- Antibiotic Utilization and Its Implications Among Ruminant Farmers and Stakeholders in Sumbawa Regency, Indonesia.Veterinary medicine international · 2024Article
- Antibiotic prescribing practices in community and clinical settings during the COVID-19 pandemic in Nairobi, Kenya.PLOS global public health · 2024Article
- Urogenital Infections Among Women Attending Mwingi Hospital, Kitui County, Kenya: Safeguarding Antibiotics Through Microbiological Diagnosis.The East African health research journal · 2024Article
- A Narrative Review of Recent Antibiotic Prescribing Practices in Ambulatory Care in Tanzania: Findings and Implications.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2023Review
- A Narrative Review of Antibiotic Prescribing Practices in Primary Care Settings in South Africa and Potential Ways Forward to Reduce Antimicrobial Resistance.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Antimicrobial Dispensing Practices during COVID-19 and the Implications for Pakistan.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- 11-Year Trend in Antibiotic Consumption in a South-Eastern European Country; the Situation in Albania and the Implications for the Future.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Antibiotic Self-Medication Patterns and Associated Factors in the Context of COVID-19, Medellín, Colombia: A Survey Based Cross Sectional Study.Patient preference and adherence · 2023Article
- Determinants of the Empiric Use of Antibiotics by General Practitioners in South Africa: Observational, Analytic, Cross-Sectional Study.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Article
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5 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, Nyeri County in Kenya was among the regions reporting a high number of confirmed cases. This exemplified the increased need of addressing potential antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and self-medication during disease outbreaks. This study examined the extent of self-medication with antimicrobials among COVID-19 confirmed cases in the County.
methodsA cross-sectional survey using phone-based interviews was conducted in August 2021 among a sample of 280 out of 2317 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the County using a pre-coded questionnaire. Descriptive analyses of frequencies and causal logistic regression were conducted using STATA version 13.
resultsA total of 193 (68.9%) of the respondents indicated developing COVID-19 related symptoms-mainly cough (41.5%), headache (38.3%), and fatigue (34.7%). Over one-fifth (23.4%) of the respondents had self-medicated with antibiotics, 60.6% of whom did so at the onset of symptoms before the confirmatory test, and 51.5% self-medicating more than once. Common antibiotics used were Azithromycin (40.0%) and Amoxycilline (23.3%), with a considerable 21.7% having difficulty remembering the name of the drugs. Only half (50.4%) of the respondents (128/254) were aware of regulations towards self-medication with antibiotics. Age was the only socio-demographic variable significantly related to reduced self-medication, with older persons less likely to self-medicate. On the other hand, developing COVID-19 symptoms, awareness of COVID regulations, and appreciation of the need for self-medication awareness were related to increased self-medication.
conclusionBeing older, developing COVID-19 symptoms, and appreciating self-medication awareness have influential effects on the use of antimicrobials. Public health interventions should be timely during infectious disease outbreaks to prevent undesirable health-seeking behavior such as irrational antimicrobial use. AMR policies should enhance awareness of the risks of self-medication and address barriers that deter people from timely access of health services during disease outbreaks. Further research should be conducted on the self-medication and AMR nexus, especially during health emergencies.
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