Access and use of antibiotics in a group of migrants in a locality of bogota colombia in 2021
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Facultad de Medicina Universidad de los Andes Profesor Asociado "Cra 1 Nº 18A - 12 Bogotá - Colombia Postal code: 111711" Colombia
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Facultad de Medicina Universidad de los Andes
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Facultad de Medicina Universidad de los Andes Profesor Titular "Cra 1 Nº 18A - 12 Bogotá - Colombia Postal code: 111711" Colombia
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Facultad de Medicina Universidad de los Andes Investigador Junior "Cra 1 Nº 18A - 12 Bogotá - Colombia Postal code: 111711" Colombia
Publication date: 2023-04-26
Popul. Med. 2023;5(Supplement):A134
ABSTRACT
Colombia is host to approximately 1.8 million migrants according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) by mid-2020, making it the second country worldwide after Turkey to host the largest quantity of migrant population (1) The absence of regulatory policies in Latin America concerning certain types of medication permits the sale and distribution of antibiotics without prescription, thus making self- medication a serious problem (4,5). In the case of antibiotics, the result is not only an increase in antibiotic resistance in the migrant population but also exposing the general population to this issue (6). The objective of this study is hereby to describe the access to and use of antibiotics in a group of migrants in a locality of Bogota, Colombia in 2021, for which we will identify factors that influence both the access to and use of these medications, as well as characterize some perceptions from healthcare professionals concerning antibiotic resistance in this population. The study methodology is observational, and descriptive, the cross-sectional type. In the migrant group, the important percentage of people who do not follow any instructions in specific regarding the duration of treatment, as well as those who use them according to non-professional indications, such as those coming from family members or neighbors, as well as in an “as needed” manner. This could also be a result of the fact that a significant part of the group stops taking their antibiotics when feeling better. Regarding the pharmacist group, issues such as non-professional formation, indications given to clients based only on experience but not on guidelines, and incomplete doses bought from clients, give us an idea about those factors that may be influencing some antibiotic usage patterns that ultimately could have an impact on antibiotic resistance.