The World Health Organisation has warned of the increase in antibiotic resistance, estimating that by 2050 it could become the leading cause of death worldwide. Several studies and literature reviews show a correlation between antibiotic use and bacterial resistance, with unnecessary broad-spectrum antibiotics, such as amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and azithromycin, being one of the main causative factors. An interview-based survey of 2160 participants was conducted to assess the prevalence in the practice of self-medication with antibiotics among dental patients in the Dominican Republic. A series of open-ended questions regarding self-medication and class of antibiotics were put to the patients. Over a third of the study population (39.7%) admitted to the practice of antibiotic self-medication. Most of the respondents (58.4%) who indulged in self-medication were females, and it was prevalent in the older adults between 32-42 years old (36%). There was a negative correlation between age and self-medication practice (p < 0.001) observed with point biserial correlation test. Binary logistic regression analysis found an odds ratio of 0.97 (p < 0.001). The most consumed antibiotics were amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (52%), amoxicillin (31.1%), and azithromycin (10.1%). It is imperative to educate patients about the harmful effects of self-medication and to stress the need for governments to implement stricter laws on non-prescription drug availability.
Keywords: Dominican Republic; antibiotics; bacterial resistance; dental pathology; self-medication.