A Study of Knowledge of Antibiotics and Misuse among Paediatric Caregivers Visiting Two Healthcare Facilities in Nigeria

Antibiotic misuse is a driver for antimicrobial resistance in resource-limited settings with unrestricted access. The objective of this study is to examine the knowledge of antibiotics and the prevalence of antibiotic misuse among paediatric caregivers in two healthcare facilities in Benin City. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 262 paediatric caregivers who visited Central Hospital and University of Benin Teaching Hospital during the study period using a standardized questionnaire. Data were analyzed with SPSS version 22 using descriptive statistics. About half [144 (47.3%)] of the pediatrics caregivers had poor knowledge of antibiotics. Paediatric caregivers in rural areas had poor knowledge 32 (22.2%), compared with those in urban settings, 93 (87.8%), p=0.01. Antibiotic misuse was high [216 (82.8%)] across both health facilities. No socio-demographic factor was found to be associated with misuse of antibiotics. Most commonly misused antibiotics were amoxicillin [155(59%)] and metronidazole [142(54%)] used for symptoms such as fever [183(70%)] and cough [127 (45.8%)]. Antibiotic knowledge was found to be average, but misuse of antibiotics was high in both healthcare facilities. Education on appropriate use of antibiotics can start from healthcare institutions targeting paediatric caregivers, which can be upscaled towards the public. Journal of Public Health and Toxicological Research, Vol. 3 No. 3 (2026)