The Effect of the Prevalence of Covid-19 on Arbitrary Use of Antibiotics

Heydargoy, Mohammad Hossein

doi:10.30699/ijmm.14.4.374

year 14, Issue 4 (July - August 2020) Iran J Med Microbiol 2020, 14(4): 374-378 | Back to browse issues page

‎ 10.30699/ijmm.14.4.374

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Heydargoy M H. The Effect of the Prevalence of Covid-19 on Arbitrary Use of Antibiotics. Iran J Med Microbiol 2020; 14 (4) :374-378
URL: http://ijmm.ir/article-1-1180-en.html

The Effect of the Prevalence of Covid-19 on Arbitrary Use of Antibiotics

Mohammad Hossein Heydargoy

Department of Microbiology, Shahr-e Ghods Branch, Azad Islamic University, Tehran, Iran , heydargoy@qodsiau.ac.ir

Keywords: Drug resistance, Resistance to antimicrobial drugs, Antibiotics, Coronavirus, Covid-19

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Introduction

From the past decades until today, scientists have made great efforts to find various methods and drugs against microbes, but the resistance of pathogens to antibiotics has made it hard for the healthcare system to fight against them. Antibiotic resistance is a major crisis that has not been addressed and requires prompt action (1). Drug resistance means reducing the effectiveness of a drug in treating a disease caused by factors such as bacteria, parasites, viruses, fungi, and even cancer cells (2). Medication is an essential part of treatment (3). However, this does not mean that taking medication will have positive effects in any way. Medications can be both beneficial and health-threatening. Improper use of drugs due to lack of awareness can be dangerous (4). Statistical studies show that the amount of drug prescribed does not match the amount used; this indicates the abuse of the drug (5). One of the factors affecting the abuse of drugs is buying over-the-counter antibiotics in order to keep them at home. Sharing drugs with other people and prescribing drugs more than needed for patients is another factor playing an essential role in the misuse of antibiotics (6-9).
Iran is one of the largest consumers of antibiotics in the world due to the false culture of self-medication. Also, studies have shown that the amount of prescription drugs, especially by general practitioners, is too much, which leads to the storage of drugs at home and, eventually, the overuse of it. Misuse of drugs is also a significant problem in the world (5, 10).
In this study, the use of antibiotics during Covid-19 onset was assessed using a questionnaire to determine if the prevalence of coronavirus disease has affected the use of antibiotics.

Materials and Methods

In this short article, an online questionnaire was designed that included questions about demographic characteristics and antibiotic use and awareness of the side effects of the arbitrary use of antibiotics. It was then posted on social networks used by the servants of the holy shrine of Fatima Masoumeh (PBUH) located in the holy city of Qom, Iran, as well as members of the Vanak Park Complex located in Tehran, Iran. The results were concluded as percentages and graphs. In order to control the answers, two questions were used in the questionnaire. For instance, a question asked, Did you take antibiotics without the doctor's prescription before the coronavirus outbreak?
Furthermore, to confirm the accuracy of the answers, there was another question asked, Have you taken antibiotics without a prescription due to the prevalence of coronavirus and the inability to go to medical centers?
If the person in question answers that he/she misused antibiotics before the corona outbreak period and in answer to the next question states that the abuse of antibiotics was due to the corona outbreak period, the answers will be inconsistently determining whether this individual was either self-medicating before. To elevate the eligibility of the answers, assuming that the study’s target is all Muslims, we told them that if they fill in the questionnaire accidentally or without honesty, it will cause an error in the results of the research, and Sharia forbids this.

Results and Discussion

During ten days, 168 people filled out a questionnaire, which included 152 servants of the holy shrine of Fatima Masoumeh (PBUH) and 16 members of Vanak Park Complex. Of these, 83.3% were female, and 16.7% were male. The age range of participants in this study was calculated from 15 to 67 years. Of these, 100% followed at least one of the recommendations, including wearing a mask, using gloves, and observing social distance.
Of the participants, 32.7% said they bought antibiotics just for home storage, and 38.1% of the participants used antibiotics without a doctor's prescription before the outbreak of Covid-19. In comparison, 20.8% of the participants used antibiotics during the outbreak of the participants, of whom 20% stated that the outbreak of Covid-19 and quarantine prevented them from seeking medical treatment, and as a result they preferred self-medication. In this case, it can be concluded that the epidemic of coronavirus in Iran has increased the use of antibiotics. Due to the fear of leaving home and going to crowded places, especially medical centers that may be affected by a coronavirus, people stay at home and tend self-medication.
It is suggested that medical organizations and authorities reduce the phenomenon of self-medication, and face-to-face visits during virus outbreaks, by expanding virtual consultation systems with physicians and reducing the cost of such services, as well as introducing and teaching the use of this tool.

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank Ms. Fariba Asadpour Kofi, the caretaker of the Sisters of the Holy Shrine Unit of Fatima Masoumeh (PBUH), and Mr. Morteza Heydargoy, members of the Board of Trustees of Vanak Park Complex. They have contributed significantly to the research by sending and collecting questionnaires.

Conflicts of Interest

Authors declared no conflict of interests.

Type of Study: Brief Original Article | Subject: Antibiotic Resistance
Received: 2020/07/8 | Accepted: 2020/08/10 | ePublished: 2020/07/9

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