‘Perceptions’ and ‘practices’ to antibiotic usage among diabetic patients receiving care from a rural tertiary care center: A mixed‑methods study

Contribution to antibiotic resistance can happen at two interfaces – doctor prescribing antibiotics inadvertently or patient’s usage of antibiotics inadvertently. This study was conducted among diabetic inpatients in a rural tertiary health center in Kolar, South India, to assess the various practices related to antibiotic use and to explore the possible reasons for these practices with regard to antibiotic use.

An exploratory sequential mixed‑methods study was conducted with an initial cross‑sectional quantitative study followed by qualitative in‑depth interviews during August–September 2019. A pretested semi‑structured questionnaire was used to capture the sociodemographic, disease‑, and treatment‑related characteristics and practices related to antibiotic use. An open‑ended interview guide was used to conduct in‑depth interviews. The practices to antibiotic use were reported using frequency (percentage). Manual descriptive content analyses were done by two investigators separately to identify codes under the broad topic “reasons for adopted practices with regard to antibiotic use.”

Of the 152 diabetic inpatients interviewed, 20 (13.2%) felt that antibiotics are safe drugs and can be used commonly. Among these inpatients, seven (4.6%) knew that antibiotics can kill bacteria and four (2.6%) perceived ‘antibiotic resistance’ as a big problem in India. The practice of checking the expiry date before using antibiotics was seen in 21 (13.8%) and 44 (29%) of them finished the full course of antibiotics. A total of six codes were identified under the broad theme of “reasons for adopted practices with regard to antibiotic use” among diabetic inpatients.

Less than one‑third of them completed the antibiotic course given by the doctor, and almost everyone was ready for over‑the‑counter purchase of antibiotics offered by the pharmacist. The reasons for such practices were mostly attributed to the “partial drug purchases” and “incomplete advice by the doctor.” There is an urgent need to plan and deliver an interventional package to enhance the knowledge and inculcate good antibiotic usage practices among these high‑risk populations.