Survey of Self Medication

Tyler Burslie

Submitted to Dale Sullivan September 27, 2010

Abstract

Bacteria, just like any other organism on this planet, have to evolve in order to survive. Bacteria and other organisms have been evolving since the moment life spawned on this planet, but recently in the last fifty to sixty years, we have been seeing more mutant bacteria than ever before. One reason could be over prescribed antibiotics another reason could be the misuse of the prescriptions by the patients. Since the discovery of penicillin, we have been trying to find new and improved cures for our ailments. It seems that with every new antibiotic, bacteria have been finding ways to counter act the effects of the antibiotics. With this proposed survey, I will be focusing on how people medicate themselves, and if they see the importance of proper self medicating. Background information about the topic will be provided through out my proposal. My research method and time frame will be outlined throughout my proposal.

Introduction

How much do people really know about safe medicating? Ever since the discovery of antibiotics, we have been fighting a mutating war with antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria. With mutating bacteria, scientists are constantly under the microscope hoping to make the right antibiotic that won’t become resistant to bacteria, and at the same time figure out when and where this epidemic happened. In my background listed in the next paragraph, I have given some basic explanations as to why bacteria have been mutating. It is my goal to show how much people really know about antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria and how they can help fight the battle against them. My research will show how people’s attitudes affect how they medicate and their knowledge of misusing antibiotics. This proposal will include a project description, background, method to conduct the study, and a predicted schedule.

Background

Alexander Fleming stumbled upon Penicillin, which was one of the first true antibiotics, virtually by accident in 1928. Fleming noticed some mold growing on a culture plate. He then noticed that the mold growing on the culture plate was prohibiting the development of bacteria. Alas, the discovery of Penicillin, the “wonder drug”. Although Penicillin proved to be a great antibiotic it wasn’t widely used until about the 1940’s due to the fact that it was hard to produce in a purified form in large quantities. People often called Penicillin the “miracle drug” because it seemed to cure many bacterial infections. Doctors were prescribing Penicillin as fast as it was produced. Penicillin started to come in oral form once it was released to the public, often without a prescription. People started taking Penicillin for many reasons since it was known to be the “miracle drug”. The public would take Penicillin for viral infections, which we know are not affected by antibiotics, and they would only take the medication just long enough to feel better. The misuse of antibiotics wasn’t deliberately intended. The general public just didn’t know the consequences of what they were doing. The first documented antibiotic resistant strain of bacteria appeared in 1946. Since Penicillin, new forms of antibiotics have come about often intended to combat the rapid mutations of bacteria. The proposed survey is intended to get information from people regarding their knowledge of antibiotics and the way they medicate while using antibiotics.

Project

The purpose of this survey is to interview random individuals and see if they know about the antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria and also to see how they medicate themselves while they were or are currently using an antibiotic. The individuals surveyed will represent a population of students at NDSU. I will conduct the survey while on campus, randomly asking people if they would like to take the survey. I hope to survey at least 20 people. One part of the survey will involve the knowledge of the individual in regards to antibiotic resistant bacteria, and the other will involve how the individual medicates themselves. With that information I will be able to place them on a chart based on age and what year they are in school and form an idea of what people know based on age and what year they are in school.

Method

The type of method to conduct my research will be a survey. The survey will encompass a wide range of ages, male, female, marital status, etc. The survey will not be gender specific and is completely voluntary. The individual will not be required to disclose personal information. The survey will then go on to ask if the individual has ever heard of antibiotic resistant bacteria, and if they know how it has evolved. The second set of question will ask them how they medicated with antibiotics, such as “do you take your prescription until it is completely gone, or just until you start to feel better?” Another question could be, “have you ever asked to have an antibiotic to treat something other than a bacterial infection from your doctor?” These are just a few sample questions that will be in the survey. Upon completion, the survey should show a wide range of answers with regards to age, sex and marital status.

Schedule

The project will begin September 30, 2010 and will conclude December 13, 2010. The first week of the project will be formatting questions to ask random people, and the final week will be analyzing all data collected. In between those two dates I will submit progress reports when designated to and a final report will be given with all collected data.