Impact of Patient Information Leaflet on Improving Knowledge of Antibiotic Resistance and Rational Use of Antibiotics among Parents of Pediatric Patients

Abstract

Background: The misuse and overuse of antibiotics have become a serious problem today particularly prevalent in developing countries. This phenomenon exacerbates the emergence and dissemination of antibiotic resistance among bacterial populations. The lack of comprehensive understanding regarding antibiotics serves as a primary driver behind their inappropriate usage. Patient information leaflets (PIL) are deployed as a means to enhance public knowledge and awareness regarding antibiotics. Objective: To assess the impact of the PIL on improving knowledge of antibiotic resistance and the rational use of antibiotics Methods: This interventional study was carried out in the Out Patient Department of the teaching hospital, Karapitiya. The PIL about antibiotics and rational usage was validated using Ensuring Quality Information for Patients (EQIP) and Baker Able Leaflets Design (BALD) tools and evaluated by an expert panel and parents of pediatric patients respectively. The purposive sampling method and random sampling method were used to select the samples respectively. A questionnaire was used as user testing to access the impact of knowledge of antibiotics and rational usage after reading the developed leaflet. Results: According to the EQIP tool, mean±SD quality score was 65.62±12.61%, and according to the BALD tool, mean±SD score for designing of the PIL was 18.00±1.77%. PIL was validated for readability with the mean±SD score was 95.00±11.00%. The overall user testing means±SD scores had significantly (p<0.001) improved from 31.00±18.19% to 88.50±15.49% level which showed significant knowledge improvement about antibiotic resistance and the rational use. The mean difference was 57.50. The mean±SD user-opinion score for the PIL was 17.88±1.64. Conclusions: The study showed a significant improvement in knowledge levels after reading the validated leaflet. The user opinion test reported that the majority of the participants rated the PILs’ content, legibility, and design as good. The PILs obtained good EQIP scores and satisfactory level of score for BALD criteria. The current study highlighted the importance of patient education and importance of PILs to improve knowledge antibiotic resistance and the rational use.