Abstract
Globally, antibiotic use and resistance is a big health-care problem. It is important to recognize and resolve deficiencies among future healthcare professionals regarding antibiotic awareness. This study aims to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and perception (KAP) about the usage of antibiotics among PharmD graduates and other medical and paramedical graduate students in King Khalid University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 193 medical and paramedical students. A structured, self-administered, validated e-questionnaire was prepared to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice among the graduate students. The qualitative variables were analyzed using descriptive analysis, while quantitative variables were described using mean +/- Standard Deviation. The chi-square test was used for categorical data. P-value was considered significant if it was less than 0.05. The study involved a total of 193 participants and the survey was completed by 181 participants, resulting in a response rate of 94%. The respondents had a significant level of knowledge with an average of 71.54% correct answers (p < 0.05). While 76.24% of participants possessed a positive attitude, and 75% of the participants perceived a good practice towards antibiotic awareness. Continuing education courses should be adapted to meet the requirements of students to maximize their ability to improve their knowledge of antibiotics. The research findings indicate that awareness regarding antibiotics usage and antibiotics resistance is crucial among all undergraduates. The current education facilitates the effective use of antibiotics among PharmD rather than medical and paramedical students.