Knowledge and Practice of Antimicrobial use for Treatment of Urinary Tract Infections among Female Medical Students in Enugu, Nigeria: A Cross-sectional Study

Background: Urinary tract infections (UTI) are a significant clinical problem empirically treated with antibiotics that could worsen the spread of antibiotics resistance.

Objective: We described the knowledge, attitude, and treatment practices of UTI among female medical students in Enugu, southeast Nigeria.

Methods: A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey involving female medical students at Enugu State University of Technology, in Enugu, Nigeria was conducted in October 2023. Overall, 180 students were enrolled. The questionnaires were constructed after systematically reviewing the literature. The data were analyzed by calculating frequencies and means.

Results: Our study sample includes 174 female medical students (Response rate, 96.7%). Most of the students are aged 20–24 years (63.2%), with mean (standard deviation) of 23.5 (± 4.6) years, single (86.8%), Igbo (97.1%), and Christian (97.7%). Most students (166 students, 95.4%) had adequate knowledge of UTI, but a minority of students (45.5%) sought treatment from a trained healthcare provider for proper laboratory investigation, diagnosis, and treatment of their previous UTI episodes. Among those that did not seek care with trained healthcare providers, most, 27 (75.0%), self-treated. Most students (27 students, 90.0%) positively practiced completion of their prescribed drugs. The most commonly drugs used for self-medication of UTI were Amoxicillin, Canesten cream, Ciprofloxacin, and Gentamycin.

Conclusion: Although our study shows female medical students have adequate knowledge about UTIs, their treatment practices reveal that strengthening educational efforts on antibiotic stewardship is essential to ensure that medical students not only understand the theoretical aspects of UTIs but also apply best practices in their treatment. Our study suggests the need for improved education on antibiotics stewardship to address the spread of antimicrobial resistance, and ensuring effective treatment of UTIs in the future.