1. Introduction
Antibiotics are known to be “wonder drug” with the characteristics of
killing, inhibiting and slowing the growth of bacteria and some fungi
but not viruses.1 In 2008, the Malaysian National
Medicine Use Survey (NMUS) revealed that apart from antihypertensive,
anti-diabetic and lipid-lowering drugs, antibiotics were one of the top
10 most utilised drugs in Malaysia.2
In recent decades, the misuse and overuse of antibiotics had led to the
rise of antibiotic resistance/ antimicrobial resistance (AR) with an
alarming rate. Additionally, World Health Organization (WHO) reported
that 80% of the antibiotics used among the public and 20-50% of them
were inappropriate.3 Despite the devastating effect on
human’s welfare, AR is also causing tremendous impacts on economic
growth.4,5
Since AR cannot be eradicated, in order to minimize the widespread of AR
a collaborative and comprehensive action has to be done among the public
as well as the healthcare professionals.6,7 Few prior
studies summarized that the understanding and behaviour towards the
judicious use of antibiotics among the Malaysian are not up to
appreciable level.8,9 Hence, it is pivotal for
healthcare professionals especially the doctors to monitor the
antibiotic usage pattern as they are authorised to prescribe antibiotics
in Malaysia.10 Their decision in prescribing
antibiotics are highly influenced by the knowledge, attitude, perception
and or practices (KAP).11 Therefore, more
comprehensive education and training about the appropriate usage of
antibiotics and awareness of AR should be implemented starting from
their undergraduate level.12
To date, there is a paucity of data pertaining to the KAP towards the
use of antibiotics and its resistance among the doctors and medical
students.13–15 In consistent with these
recommendations as well as inadequate evidence in Malaysia, this study
was aimed to investigate the knowledge, attitude, perception, and
practice on the usage of antibiotics and its resistance among the final
year medical students in a private medical university which provide a
platform for concise comprehension in terms of the behaviour in
prescribing antibiotic.