A Cross-Sectional Study of Public Awareness of Antibiotic Resistance among the Jordanian Population

Background: Antibiotic resistance is a serious global concern. It contributes to increasing the morbidity and mortality rates associated with infections. In the Middle East and countries such as Jordan resistance levels are escalating due to practices such as self-medication, irrational prescribing, and lack of public awareness. Assessing and establishing the awareness towards resistance can inform the way forward.
Aims: The study aimed to assess the awareness of antibiotic resistance in Jordan and to find if certain factors were related to the level of awareness.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study utilizing the WHO multi-country public awareness questionnaire was used to survey people in Jordan using a convenience sampling method. The survey was distributed through online platforms. Several factors were considered (gender, urbanizations, education, and working in health sector). The association was studied using Chi-squared and Fischer’s exact tests.
Results: A total of 469 participants completed the questionnaire. Several misconceptions were detected. For example, 85.1% were unable to correctly define antibiotic resistance and 45.6% believed colds could be treated with antibiotics.  Working in the health sector and educational level affected the responses of the participants the most regarding the knowledge and seriousness of antibiotic resistance. Gender and urbanization were less significant.
Conclusion: Educational campaigns targeting which conditions require antibiotics and further studies are needed to enhance public awareness and to correct misconceptions.