Assessing the Knowledge, Practices, and Attitude towards Antimicrobial Resistance among Physicians, Pharmacists and the General Public in Wa Municipality

Emmanuel Udochukwu Osisiogu, Ruth Abaidoo, Yaro Abdul-Malik, Genevive Afia Amoakoa Agyapong, Calebina Ayeyi Appiah, Raphael Eyram Amemo

Research Article | Open Access | Download Full Text

Volume 1 | Issue 1 | Year 2025 | Article Id: RLS-V1I1P103

Assessing the Knowledge, Practices, and Attitude towards Antimicrobial Resistance among Physicians, Pharmacists and the General Public in Wa Municipality

Emmanuel Udochukwu Osisiogu, Ruth Abaidoo, Yaro Abdul-Malik, Genevive Afia Amoakoa Agyapong, Calebina Ayeyi Appiah, Raphael Eyram Amemo

Received	Revised	Accepted	Published
06 Apr 2025	06 May 2025	06 Jun 2025	30 Jun 2025

Citation

Emmanuel Udochukwu Osisiogu, Ruth Abaidoo, Yaro Abdul-Malik, Genevive Afia Amoakoa Agyapong, Calebina Ayeyi Appiah, Raphael Eyram Amemo. “Assessing the Knowledge, Practices, and Attitude towards Antimicrobial Resistance among Physicians, Pharmacists and the General Public in Wa Municipality.” DS Reviews of Research in Life Sciences, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 19-31, 2025.

Abstract

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is the ability of microorganisms to withstand antimicrobial medications that previously could eliminate non-resistant strains. A major driver of AMR is irrational antibiotic use and inappropriate disposal. This cross-sectional survey was conducted in Wa Municipality, Upper West Ghana. Convenience sampling recruited 417 participants: 303 general public residents, 51 clinicians, and 63 pharmacists. Separate questionnaires collected demographics and information on antibiotic knowledge, attitudes, prescribing practices, and usage behaviors. Data was analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics. The general public had limited knowledge of appropriate antibiotic use; 66% consumed antibiotics without prescriptions, correlated with education level. Nearly half disposed of antibiotics in household waste. Clinicians (85%) reported high patient demand for antibiotics, driving over-prescription. Most (76%) supported developing local AMR guidelines. Many pharmacists (66%) dispensed antibiotics without prescriptions and prolonged recommended durations. The results reveal critical gaps in AMR knowledge and risky antimicrobial use practices among all groups in this region. Implementing tailored educational campaigns, treatment guidelines, environmental strategies, and antimicrobial stewardship programs with stakeholder engagement can promote prudent use and curb resistance. Ongoing research should assess changes in knowledge, attitudes and behaviors over time.

Keywords

Antimicrobial resistance, Clinicians, Pharmacists, The general public, Antibiotic stewardship.

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