Understanding antibiotic knowledge, attitudes, and practices: a cross-sectional study in physicians from a Colombian region, 2023

A study involving 258 Colombian physicians found that 31.5% rated their antibiotic education as fair to poor. The knowledge score was 80.1, with 25.2% agreeing that amoxicillin is useful for respiratory infections and 15% believing antibiotics are effective for upper respiratory infections. Attitudes scored 80.2, with 99% stating bacterial resistance is a public health problem in Colombia. Practices scored 75.5, with 71.7% stating that refusing to prescribe antibiotics to unnecessarily need them. The study suggests that continuous medical education programs, fostering positive attitudes, evidence-based prescribing guidelines, and incorporating antimicrobial stewardship principles in medical curricula are crucial.