Development and validation of instruments to portray knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding antibiotic use and resistance among non-health science university students
N. Indah Witriana 1 2 , Hadi Suwono 1 3 * , Sitoresmi Prabaningtyas 1 , Chun-Yen Chang 1 4 5 , Muhammad Saefi 6 , Husamah 7
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1 Universitas Negeri Malang, Malang, INDONESIA2 Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Perikanan Malang, Malang, INDONESIA3 Center of Research and Innovation on STEM Education, Universitas Negeri Malang, Malang, INDONESIA4 Institute for Research Excellence in Learning Sciences and Graduate Institute of Science Education, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, TAIWAN5 National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, TAIWAN6 UIN Maulana Malik Ibrahim, Malang, INDONESIA7 Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang, Malang, INDONESIA* Corresponding Author

Abstract

Antibiotic resistance is a global health crisis due to inappropriate use. Although many studies have highlighted medical personnel, non-medical science students’ understanding of antibiotics is still limited. This study aimed to develop and validate an instrument to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding antibiotics and resistance, and to portray the KAP of biology and non-biology students regarding antibiotics and resistance. The survey was conducted among students from various universities in Indonesia, with descriptive and inferential statistical analysis. Results showed that biology students have a higher understanding of antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) due to the contribution of their curriculum. However, misconceptions remained in both groups, especially regarding the use of antibiotics for viral infections and bacterial resistance. While most respondents understood the importance of a doctor’s prescription, practices such as self-medication and discontinuing antibiotics before the dose ran out were still common, especially among non-biology students. They were also more likely to support the purchase of antibiotics without a prescription and the misconception that antibiotics speed up recovery from a cold or sore throat. These findings emphasize the need for stronger education on antibiotics and AMR, especially for biology and non-biology students, to prevent practices that exacerbate AMR.

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed, Volume 21, Issue 8, August 2025, Article No: em2688

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/16754

Publication date: 13 Aug 2025

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Article Downloads: 38

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