ArticleBMC medical education2026
Assessment of antibiotic stewardship knowledge, attitudes, and prescribing preparedness among medical, pharmacy, and dental students in Kuwait.
Article in BMC medical education, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
backgroundAntimicrobial resistance is a critical global health challenge, and health professional education plays a key role in promoting responsible antibiotic use. Adequate training in antibiotic stewardship is crucial to ensure that future healthcare providers are well-prepared for effective infection management. This study assessed antibiotic-related knowledge, attitudes, and self-reported prescribing preparedness among health sciences students in Kuwait, aiming to identify educational gaps and inform curricular reform.
methodsA cross-sectional survey study was conducted among senior undergraduate students from the colleges of medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy at the Health Sciences Center in Kuwait between February and June 2023. A self-administered questionnaire was used to assess antibiotic knowledge, attitudes toward appropriate use, and perceived preparedness to prescribe. Descriptive, comparative, and correlation analyses were performed.
resultsOf the 596 eligible students, 363 completed the questionnaire (response rate: 60.9%). The majority of respondents were female (94.8%). The median [IQR] knowledge score was 18 [5] out of 29 (62.1% [IQR = 17.2]), reflecting moderate overall knowledge. Nearly half of the participants (n = 177; 48.8%, 95% CI: 43.5-54.0) demonstrated moderate overall knowledge, while 42.4% (n = 154; 95% CI: 37.3-47.7) scored low, and only 8.8% (n = 32; 95% CI: 6.2-12.3) achieved high scores. Domain-specific scores analysis revealed a notable pattern: while students performed well in general antibiotic knowledge (100% [IQR = 0]), substantial gaps were identified in the areas of antibiotic resistance (55.6% [IQR = 22.2]) and clinical application (53.8% [IQR = 30.8]). Attitudes toward appropriate antibiotic use were generally positive (median: 4 out of 5 [IQR = 2]), yet perceived preparedness to prescribe was low (50.0% [IQR = 75.0]). The overall median [IQR] preparedness score was 50.0% [75.0], indicating a low level of preparedness. The three main clinical application gaps were reported in specimen selection (33.9%), interpreting resistance mechanisms (36.6%), and distinguishing flora from pathogens (39.1%). Medical and pharmacy students scored significantly higher than dental students in both knowledge and preparedness (p < 0.05). Knowledge was positively correlated with preparedness (Spearman's r = 0.342; p < 0.001).
conclusionsDespite moderate general knowledge and positive attitudes, students exhibited significant deficiencies in antibiotic resistance and clinical application, alongside low levels of self-reported prescribing preparedness. These findings highlight the curricular reform priority need for targeted, competency-based, and interprofessional educational interventions to strengthen antibiotic stewardship training and support responsible prescribing practices among future healthcare professionals.
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