The global prevalence of antibiotic self-medication among the adult population: systematic review and meta-analysis
Abstract
Antibiotic self-medication (ASM) is when a person takes antibiotics without a prescription or consulting a healthcare professional. These practices contribute to the misuse of medicines and antibiotic resistance which is a growing global health threat that can lead to longer hospital stays, higher healthcare costs, and increased mortality rates. Though various studies have been conducted on ASM in different countries, there has not yet been a systematic review that comprehensively assesses the problem in the entire globe. Hence, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the global pooled prevalence of antibiotic self-medication and the reasons for its practice. A systematic search of electronic registers and databases was conducted on PubMed, Medline, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and gray literature including institutional repositories, and national health databases. It used carefully selected keywords and indexing terms in the past ten years. The Joanna Briggs Institute’s critical checklist extracted relevant data after appraisal. Narrative analysis was used for descriptive data while Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) Software was used to analyze quantitative data. Statistics were used to look for heterogeneity, publication bias, and correlations. Sensitivity tests and sub-group analysis were employed to compare outcomes. A p-value < 0.05 was considered significant in all cases. Seventy-one studies were included in this systematic review…
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Evidence Hub reads this as a meta-analysis, done in people. Its evidence level is 1 of 5 (Highest · pooled evidence). Pooled evidence from several studies sits at the top of the evidence pyramid.
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