To understand children’s parents’ cognition and behavior of antibacterial drugs, so as to provide reference for promoting rational use of antibacterial drugs in children, reducing bacterial drug resistance and adverse drug reactions.

From April 2022 to April 2023, 517 parents of pediatric inpatients at Pingshan District People’s Hospital in Shenzhen were surveyed on the cognition and behavior of antibacterial drug use. Descriptive analysis, univariate analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were used to explore the possible factors affecting parents’ cognition and behavior of rational use of antibiotics.

A total of 517 questionnaires were collected, of which 482 were valid, with an effective recovery rate of 93.23%. The scores of parents’ knowledge and practice on antibacterial drugs were (7.06±3.91) and (28.02±4.32), and the scoring rates were (44.11±24.46)% and (80.06±12.34)%, respectively. The cognitive score was positively correlated with senior high school or technical secondary school (β=0.180, 95% CI: 0.677-2.569), junior college (β=0.244,95% CI: 1.177-3.125), undergraduate degree or above (β=0.353, 95% CI: 2.035-4.333), and was negatively correlated with parents’ with medical background (β=-0.109, 95% CI: -2.800--0.371). The behavioral score was positively correlated with the mother (β=0.123, 95% CI: 0.358-2.198) and parents’ with medical background (β=0.090, 95% CI: -0.006-2.874).

The overall awareness of antimicrobial drugs among parents of children in this urban area is relatively low, and the score rate for rational use of antibiotics is relatively high. However, there are still some misconceptions. It is recommended that relevant departments should strengthen the education of antimicrobial knowledge to the public, strengthen the management of grassroots medical institutions and retail pharmacies, strictly regulate access channels, standardize medication behavior, and try to eliminate the hidden dangers of unreasonable use of antibiotics.