“Antibiotics heal all diseases”; the factors influencing the pratices of self-medication with antibiotics in Maputo City, Mozambique

ConclusionThe practices of SMA are influenced by various  factors that flow from the health care system, to the participant’s health-seeking behavior. These are reinforced by the public’s cultural belief that “antibiotics heal all diseases,” which determines the social representations of medicines shape the attitudes and behaviors of SMA. The c ulturally rooted behavior, the social representations of the health care system, and the therapeutic itineraries the public adopt are to be considered as having an ever-present effect on all different stages of the disease and healing process. Understanding the phenomenon of SMA to better address the promotion of rational use of antibiotics is urgently needed in Mozambique.
Source: Journal of Public Health - Category: Health Management Source Type: research