Background: Antibiotic resistance is one of the most significant threats to world health. Countries like Egypt may
make a significant contribution to maintaining efficacy of antibiotics for future generations by tackling selfmedication. Aim: Evaluate the effectiveness of educational intervention based on health belief model on the mothers
regarding antibiotics self-medication. Setting: Two Maternal and Child Health Centers: Benha Health Center 1 and
Benha Health Center 4, located in Qalyubia Governorate, Egypt. Sampling: First: Random sample technique was
used to choose MCH in which the study had been conducted. Second: A convenience sampling technique was used
for the selection of mothers who participated in the study. The total sample size comprised 267 mothers. Tools of
data collection: Two tools were used. I: an interviewing questionnaire consisting of four parts representing
demographic characteristics of studied mothers, mothers' healthcare facilities, mothers' knowledge and mothers'
reported practices regarding antibiotics self-medication. II: Health Belief Model Scale to assess mothers' beliefs
regarding antibiotics self-medication. Results: 72.7% of the studied mothers had good knowledge regarding
antibiotics use, 71.2% of them had high satisfactory total reported practices and 61.8% of them had high total health
beliefs regarding antibiotic self-medication post-educational intervention implementation. There was a highly
statistically significant improvement in all items of knowledge and reported practices level of the studied mothers
regarding antibiotics self-medication also, there was highly statistically significant improvement in all items of the
health belief model regarding antibiotics self-medication pre and post-educational intervention implementation.
Conclusion: Educational intervention based on health belief model was effective in increasing knowledge, beliefs
and improving reported practices of mothers regarding antibiotics self- mediation. Recommendations:
Establishment of more educational intervention that aimed at enhancing public awareness regarding risks associated
with self-medication with antibiotics recommended |
