Knowledge and perceptions of outpatients regarding upper respiratory tract infections and awareness of an Antibiotics Smart Use campaign in Thailand

Introduction The Antibiotic Smart Use (ASU) campaign, including educating the public in appropriate antibiotic use for upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs), has been conducted for several years in Thailand. This study's main objectives were to examine knowledge and perceptions of antibiotics for URTIs in outpatients. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted at a 500-bed tertiary care teaching hospital, using a self-administered questionnaire directly distributed to people waiting for dispensed medicines in the out-patient department. Results Of the 400 returned questionnaires, 61% of respondents (N = 243) had a history of antibiotic use. Nearly 70% (N = 270) had received antibiotic information. Posters promoting the ASU campaign had been seen by 65% (N = 259), of whom 70% (N = 182) had read the poster. Knowledge regarding antibiotics was generally poor, higher knowledge (2.6-3.2-fold increase) was associated with middle-aged compared to younger people (58.4% vs 31.2%, p = 0.004), people with a bachelor's degree rather than a junior high school certificate (67.5% vs 14.3%, p = 0.020), and people receiving antibiotic information rather than not receiving information (84.4% vs 15.6%, p = 0.022). The perceived necessity for antibiotics for various respiratory symptoms was moderate, with lower expectations in those who have a high level of antibiotic knowledge and have read an ASU poster. Conclusion Overall knowledge of antibiotics was found to be low. However, perceptions of the necessity for antibiotic use in URTIs were encouragingly positive. Continuous promotion of ASU campaigns to limit antibiotic use is still necessary but may require adaptation to ensure accessibility for the wider public.