Determining the knowledge levels of science teachers'unconscious use of antibiotics

This research was carried out to determine the knowledge levels of science teacher candidates about unconscious use of antibiotics. It was conducted with 283 science teacher candidates at eight universities in Turkey in 2021-2022. A questionnaire prepared by the researchers was used to collect the knowledge level of teacher candidates about unconscious use of antibiotics. The research was carried out according to the causal comparison model survey design, which is one of the quantitative research methods. The data were analyzed with the SPSS 22.0 package program. Whether the scores showed normal distribution was tested with the Kolmogrov Smirnov Test and it was determined that the data did not show normal distribution (p>0.05). Since the scores did not show normal distribution, Mann Whitney U and Kruskal Wallis tests, which are parametric methods, were used in the analysis of the data. As a result of the factor analysis, the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) value was found to be 0.955, and the data structure was found to be perfectly suitable in terms of sample size and factor analysis. In this study, the Cronbach's alpha value of the scale was calculated as 0.947. In the knowledge scale questionnaire on the conscious use of antibiotics, it was found that male and female teacher candidates mostly responded as 'I am undecided'. In order to increase the antibiotic knowledge level of science teacher candidates, to raise healthy generations, and to raise awareness of the correct use of antibiotics to their students, seminars should be organized on this subject, and it is recommended to provide information on rational v drug use in the 'Environmental Education' and the general culture elective 'Nutrition and Health' course. Keywords: human health, rational antibiotic use, antibiotic knowledge level, science teacher candidates