Rational Antibiotic Usage of International University Students Who Educates in the Field of Health

Abstract

The study sample comprised 184 international students enrolled at Necmettin Erbakan University across the

Faculties of Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, and the Nezahat Keleşoğlu Faculty of Health Sciences. Among the participants,

55.4% were female, 45.1% were first-year students, and 42.9% were studying in the Faculty of Medicine. A total of 78.3% of

the students reported a moderate level of academic achievement, while 16.3% came from families with low income levels. The

mean knowledge and attitude scores were 11.60 ± 2.43 and 40.65 ± 4.93, respectively. Academic achievement and family

income levels were found to have a statistically significant effect on mean knowledge scores (p < 0.05). Similarly, academic

achievement and faculty of study significantly affected mean attitude scores (p < 0.05). Although 46.2% of students had

previously received education about rational antibiotic use (RAU), this did not translate into higher knowledge or attitude

scores. A positive, statistically significant, moderate correlation was identified between knowledge and attitude scores. Overall,

the study contributed to raising awareness about RAU among international students from diverse backgrounds.