The average individual does not have a clear definition about the antibiotics usage, when to use them or under what circumstances they are effective. In fact, in a cross-sectional study Cals et al. (2007) pointed out “nearly half of all responders (47.8%) incorrectly identified antibiotics as being effective in treating viral infections”.
This antibiotics overuse comes from the mistaken belief that they are beneficial for a broad set of health conditions, being perceived by the average patient as the “strong medicine” for persistent or severe symptomatology. Moreover, part of the individuals are prone to self-diagnosis, comparing the clinical traits of their current disease with others experienced before, subsequently incurring in self-medication and exacerbating the preoccupying and ever-increasing global antimicrobial resistance.
On the other hand, patients don’t tend to have patience to leave a viral infection run its course and self-limit over a week after, they are feeling sick, annoyed and pulled apart from their daily routine, this adds up to the misleading perception of antibiotics as magic pills that immediately cease the illness. Furthermore, “one study found that physicians over 30 years of age were several times more likely to prescribe antibiotics for common respiratory conditions that do not necessarily require them” (Verbanas, 2021).
Summarizing, the most prominent causes for the current antibiotics misuse lie in the ignorance from the people towards health matters, misconceptions about the drugs function, self-medication, medical assessment omission and outdated treatment schemes from older physicians.
Sources:
Cals et al. (12/01/2007). Public beliefs on antibiotics and respiratory tract infections: an internet-based questionnaire study. National Library of Medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2084132/
Verbanas, P. (01/26/2021). A Rutgers study examining global misuse of antibiotics highlights the need for physician and patient education. Rutgers. https://www.rutgers.edu/news/why-people-overuse-antibiotics