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. 2010 Sep;22(9):488-95.
doi: 10.1111/j.1745-7599.2010.00539.x.

Antibiotic identification, use, and self-medication for respiratory illnesses among urban Latinos

Timothy F Landers  1 , Yu-Hui Ferng, Jennifer Wong McLoughlin, Angela E Barrett, Elaine Larson
Affiliations

Antibiotic identification, use, and self-medication for respiratory illnesses among urban Latinos

Timothy F Landers et al. J Am Acad Nurse Pract. 2010 Sep.

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe the extent to which antibiotic and nonantibiotic medications commonly used for upper respiratory infections (URIs) were correctly identified by a sample of urban dwelling Latinas and the association of medication identification with antibiotic use and self-medication.

Data sources: One hundred women completed an interview and were asked to identify whether a list of 39 medications (17 antibiotics, 22 nonantibiotics) were antibiotics or not, whether anyone in the household had used the medication, their ages, and the source of the medication.

Results: Overall, participants correctly identified 62% of nonantibiotics and 34% of antibiotics. Seventy three (73%) women in the study reported antibiotic use by at least one member of the household in the past year. Among users, self-medication was reported in 67.2% of antibiotics for adults, but in only 2.4% of children. There was no difference in antibiotic recognition between those who self-medicated and those who did not, but antibiotic self-medication was associated with a significantly lower recognition of nonantibiotics (p= .01).

Implications for practice: Measures to improve antibiotic utilization should address self-medication and consider the cultural and social context in which antibiotic use occurs.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosures The authors report no competing interests relevant to this research.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Ampitrex, an antibiotic manufactured and distributed in the Dominican Republic (outer package).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Ampitrex, an antibiotic manufactured and distributed in the Dominican Republic (package contents).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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