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Background: The main objective of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial therapy knowledge, attitudes, and practices of primary care physicians in the West Bank and Gaza., Methods: Between January and April 2021, this cross-sectional survey was conducted. A link to the online survey was sent via confidential email lists to 336 primary care physicians who treated patients in Ministry of Health clinics. The survey questions scoring system was devised in order to evaluate the physicians' practice, knowledge, and attitudes. Our scoring system identified favorable (good) and unfavorable (average and poor) antibiotic practices. In addition to independent t -test, the Chi-square test was used to compare the two groups of physicians' knowledge, attitudes, and practices with their background characteristics. A multivariate analysis was performed to identify potential confounding variables having significant relationships., Results: Of the 336 distributed questionnaires, 316 were completed, with a response rate of 94%. More than half (54.7%) were males, half (51.6%) were between 30 and 45 years of age, and most were general practitioners (74.1%). The overall good knowledge and attitude scores were 125 (39.6%) and 194 (61.4%), respectively. More than half (58.2%) had good antibiotic prescription practices. Females reported significantly more favorable practices than males, as did family medicine specialists compared with general practitioners. Finally, knowledge about antibiotic prescriptions had a substantial impact on changing their practices. However, physicians' attitudes toward antibiotic prescriptions did not have a significant role in shaping their practices., Conclusion: Overuse of antibiotics is a significant health issue in Palestine and worldwide. Most physicians know that improper antibiotic usage can cause antimicrobial resistance. More than two-thirds avoided needless antimicrobial prescriptions. In practicing antimicrobial stewardship, most prescribed fewer antibiotics and did not prescribe because of patient pressure. Family medicine specialists, female doctors, and those with high knowledge scores regardless of caseload were more likely to have good practices., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Maraqa, Nazzal, Hamshari, Matani, Assi, Aabed and Alameri.)

Background: The high potential risks involved in working in a healthcare setting during a pandemic and the associated fear that may affect health care workers' (HCWs') willingness to work are important to understand to eliminate potential barriers to working. This study aimed to assess Palestinian HCWs' willingness to work and the related factors as well as to explore their ethical dilemmas during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Materials and Methods: Quantitative (survey questionnaire) and qualitative (semi-structured interviews) data were collected. Frontline HCWs ( n = 550) received an online survey link via closed institutional networks. Frequencies summarized the data, and chi-square compared variables and outcomes. Odds ratios (ORs) and multivariable analysis examined predictors for willingness to work. Fifteen HCWs (physicians, nurses, and lab and radiology technicians) were purposefully sampled and agreed to interviews to explore their thoughts, motivations, and worries. Thematic analysis focused on ethical dilemmas to enhance the breadth and the depth of the study. Results: Almost 25% of surveyed HCWs were not willing to work during the pandemic. Logistic model results showed that physicians and nurses had higher willingness to work than others ( p = 0.004, Adj. OR = 3.5). Lower stress levels and longer professional experience were predictors of more willing to work ( p = 0.03, Adj. OR = 2.5; p = 0.03, Adj. OR = 2.6, respectively). Interviews showed that willingness to work did not preclude HCWs from fulfilling their duties despite grueling workloads and grave fears about safety and security. HCWs felt poorly prepared, unappreciated, and frustrated by unfair work distribution. The occupation presented additional safety issues. Conclusion: Physicians and nurses were more likely to comply with a commitment to their professional ethics and the duty or obligation to work. Stress levels could be mitigated in the future with better leadership, adding supports to address mental health and psychosocial challenges to enhance HCWs' well-being and improve quality of care. The realities of the occupation added additional threats and uncertainty., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Maraqa, Nazzal and Zink.)