Behavioral Analysis of Antibiotic Self-Medication Based on Social Media Information, Knowledge, and Geographic Location among Pati Regency Residents

Abstract

The development of 21st-century technology, particularly in the medical field, represents a breakthrough for previously untreatable infectious cases. However, a new threat has emerged from a biological phenomenon known as antimicrobial resistance, which is also linked to the imprudent consumption behavior of antibiotiks. This issue is not only a local concern but a global health crisis triggered by multiple factors, including loose access to obtaining antibiotics, human interactions, and the massive dissemination of information in the digital era. This study was conducted to analyze public behavior by focusing on several aspects: the level of public knowledge about antibiotiks, public attitudes toward health information from social media, and the prevalence of self-medication in urban and rural communities. The method used in this study is a descriptive-analytic design with a cross-sectional approach. Generally, the research results are as follows: overall, respondents with good knowledge of antibiotiks reached 62.7%, while those with fair-to-poor knowledge reached 37.7%. Regarding respondents' attitudes toward health information on social media, the results showed that most respondents had a relatively negative attitude toward antibiotik use influenced by social media information. The prevalence of antibiotik self-medication behavior showed that nearly 50% of respondents practiced self-medication. There is a correlation between the type of social media platform and the self-medication pattern among respondents. WhatsApp users had the highest prevalence of self-medication at 58.9%. There is no significant correlation between self-medication behavior and urban-rural geographical variables.