BACKGROUND: Non-prescription access to antimicrobials is common, and self-prescribing is increasingly popular in Russian society. The aim of this study was to assess the attitudes of community pharmacists regarding antibiotic use and self-medication. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study from September-December 2015 of community pharmacists in the Saint-Petersburg and Leningrad region, Russia. A self-administered questionnaire was used to assess antibiotic use and self-medication practices. The data were analysed using logistic regression and Pearson chi-squared tests. RESULTS: Of the 316 pharmacists (77.07%) who completed the questionnaire, 230 (72.8%) self-medicated with antibiotics. Antibiotics were mostly used to self-treat upper (53.3%) and lower respiratory tract infections (19.3%), relying on their own knowledge (81.5%), previous treatment experience (49%) and patients' prescriptions (17%). The most commonly used antibiotics were macrolides (33.2%). Characteristics such as age, education and experience were related to antibiotic use and self-medication. CONCLUSIONS: The study confirmed that self-prescription of antibiotics is a common practice amongst pharmacists in Saint Petersburg and also identified personal and professional characteristics of pharmacists strongly associated with self-medication.

• Keywords
• Antibiotic use, Antimicrobial resistance, Pharmacists,
• MeSH
• Anti-Bacterial Agents administration & dosage   MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Pharmacists psychology   standards   trends   MeSH
• Pharmacies standards   trends   MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Young Adult MeSH
• Attitude of Health Personnel * MeSH
• Cross-Sectional Studies MeSH
• Self Medication psychology   standards   trends   MeSH
• Self Report MeSH
• Check Tag
• Adult MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Young Adult MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• Russia epidemiology   MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Anti-Bacterial Agents MeSH

Background Inappropriate use of antibiotics is a public health problem of great concern. Objective To evaluate knowledge of antibiotics, race, gender and age as independent risk factors for self-medication. Setting Residents and population from different regions of Saudi Arabia. Methods We conducted a cross sectional survey study among residents. Data were collected between June 2014 to May, 2015 from 1310 participants and data were recorded anonymously. The questionnaire was randomly distributed by interview of participants and included sociodemographic characteristics, antibiotics knowledge, attitudes and behavior with respect to antibiotics usage. Main outcome measure Population aggregate scores on questions and data were analyzed using univariate logistic regression to evaluate the influence of variables on self-prescription of antibiotics. Results The response rate was 87.7 %. A cumulative 63.6 % of participants reported to have purchased antibiotics without a prescription from pharmacies; 71.1 % reported that they did not finish the antibiotic course as they felt better. The availability of antibiotics without prescription was found to be positively associated with self-medication (OR 0.238, 95 % CI 0.17-0.33). Of those who used prescribed or non-prescribed antibiotics, 44.7 % reported that they kept left-over antibiotics from the incomplete course of treatment for future need. Interestingly, 62 % of respondents who used drugs without prescription agreed with the statement that antibiotics should be access-controlled prescribed by a physician. We also found significant association between storage, knowledge/attitudes and education. Conclusions The overall level of awareness on antibiotics use among residents in Saudi Arabia is low. This mandates public health awareness intervention programs to be implemented on the use of antibiotics.

• Keywords
• Antibiotics, Awareness, Inappropriate use, Resistance, Risk factors, Saudi Arabia, Self-medication,
• MeSH
• Anti-Bacterial Agents pharmacology   therapeutic use   MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Young Adult MeSH
• Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial drug effects   MeSH
• Cross-Sectional Studies MeSH
• Population Surveillance * methods   MeSH
• Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice * MeSH
• Check Tag
• Adult MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Young Adult MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Saudi Arabia epidemiology   MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Anti-Bacterial Agents MeSH