Automedicación con antibioticos en la poblacion latinoamericana como agravante de la resistencia antimicrobriana

Abstract

Self-medication with antibiotics is one of the most alarming issues in public health, as unrestricted access and inadequate control by authorities exacerbate antimicrobial resistance. The prevalence of self-medication in Ecuador is 36.5%. In a study conducted in the northern region (Andean Highland), it was observed that out of 2623 subjects, 6.1% reported obtaining antibiotics without a medical prescription. This degree thesis aims to describe self-medication with antibiotics in the Latin American population as an aggravating factor of antimicrobial resistance. Among the associated factors for the population opting for self-medication are a lack of resources to access a medical appointment, lack of time, deficient educational levels, clandestine sales of medicines, poor compliance with international guidelines for the prescription of antibiotics by health authorities, and poor practice by pharmacists who do not require a medical prescription from users before selling antibiotics