Assessing public knowledge, practice, and attitude of Antibiotic use and Antibiotic resistance in Nagaland: A cross - sectional study.

Aim- The study aims to understand the Knowledge, Practice, Attitude of Antibiotic use and Antibiotic resistance in Nagaland. Objectives- I. To assess the current knowledge, practice, and attitude of antibiotic usage. II. To analyze the current knowledge of antibiotic resistance. III. To examine the association between sociodemographic characteristics and antibiotic usage.

Justification: Antibiotic resistance is a significant global and national health concern, with India being one of the greatest consumers of antibiotics, resulting in widespread misuse and resistance. However, there is lack of research conducted on the public knowledge, practice, and attitude (KPA) on antibiotic use in Nagaland. This study seeks to address this gap by offering regionally specific insights into how cultural norms and socioeconomic factors influence antibiotic use. The findings will help to design effective public health interventions and surveillance systems, thereby improving health outcomes and aiding national efforts to fight antibiotic resistance. 

Detailed procedure: A cross-sectional quantitative study to collect information regarding knowledge, practice, attitude of antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance will be conducted. Before beginning the study, ethical approval will be taken from Institutional Review Committee (IRC) and Institutional Ethics Committee (IEC). The study will be conducted on the general population of Nagaland which includes adults aged 18 and above. The study will exclude individuals who are not the residents of Nagaland and healthcare professionals. The study will utilize a convenience sampling technique. The data will be collected through structured questionnaire created using google forms that would be distributed through primary and secondary contacts, direct outreach will be through email, WhatsApp, and social media. To increase the survey outreach secondary distribution will make use of already existing network and recommendations. It will be conducted in English, consisting of sociodemographic details and particulars using construct comprising of 8,8,8,7 statements that asses the knowledge, attitudes, practices of antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance. The response will be measured using a 5-point Likert scale.