Effects of instructional video and community radio broadcasting interventions to improve knowledge and behavior of antibiotic use in the COVID-19 era.

Background: Antibiotic overuse is a serious health issue. It has been demonstrated that improper antibiotic use is linked to a lack of knowledge in the public. To encourage judicious antibiotic use in the COVID-19 ERA, it is critical to provide accessible and secure therapies.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the effects of instructional video and community radio broadcasting interventions on knowledge and behavior of antibiotic use.

Methods: Adults over the age of 20 were enrolled in a quasi-experimental study. A total of 369 representatives were divided into two groups: 185 participants in the control group and 184 participants in the intervention group. Data were collected twice, before and after the educational program by community health workers. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data.

Results: The participants' average age was 56.4 ± 0.6 years. Most of the respondents were female (264, 71.5%) and had only received an elementary education (186, 50.4%). A mean difference score was produced for the control and intervention groups. Both groups experienced a statistically significant gain in mean difference score of knowledge following the educational program (3.42 ± 4.18, [95% CI 2.81-4.02] vs 5.42 ± 4.97, [95% CI 4.69-6.14]) (P < 0.001). A mean difference score was produced with behavior (1.78 ± 3.45, [95% CI 1.28-2.28] vs 2.77 ± 3.06, [95% CI 2.28-3.27]) (P < 0.001). A mean difference in knowledge score between the groups was greater, with the intervention group scoring higher; all significant variables were controlled by multivariable regression analysis (1.31 [95% CI 0.53-2.09]) (P = 0.001). Similarly, a mean difference behavior score (1.34 [95% CI 0.82-1.86]) (P < 0.001).

Conclusion: The integration of an educational poster, instructional video, and community radio broadcasting interventions about antibiotic use through CHWs in local communities is beneficial. This program should be implemented at the national level to promote rational drug use. Future studies should investigate how the educational program affects antibiotic use rates in the long term.