Knowledge on Antibiotic Use, Self-Reported Adherence to Antibiotic Intake, and Knowledge on Multi-Drug Resistant Pathogens – Results of a Population-Based Survey in Lower Saxony, Germany

Conclusion: There is a high reported exposure to antibiotics and awareness of the problem of MDR pathogens. Despite personal worries, most of the participants indicated a reasonable, non-stigmatizing behavior toward carriers of MDR pathogens, and that every individual was responsible to avoid their spread. Introduction The development of antibiotic resistance is a major public health concern in Europe (European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, 2017) and worldwide (World Health Organization [WHO], 2014). Antibiotic resistances cause longer hospital stays, increased mortality (Ott et al., 2010), and substantial economical and intangible costs (Ott et al., 2010; Claus et al., 2014; Raupach-Rosin et al., 2015, 2016). Understanding the current public knowledge about antibiotics and the development of resistances and identifying misconceptions could help to shape policies and campaigns addressing these problems (Shallcross et al., 2015; World Health Organization [WHO], 2015). The World Health Organization [WHO], 2015 multi-country report showed that awareness of the existence of antibiotic resistance was widespread in general populations, but understanding of the implications was mixed (World Health Organization [WHO], 2015). Adherence to antibiotic treatment is not only important to ensure the therapeutic effect, but also to prevent the development of antibiotic resistances. Studies from the United Kingdom and Italy showed that early termination of antibiotics w...
Source: Frontiers in Microbiology - Category: Microbiology Source Type: research