Antibiotic messaging survey finds empowerment more effective than fear
Public campaigns that use "fear-based" messaging to reduce antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) may be more effective if they also contain messages that empower patients to self-manage without antibiotics, UK researchers reported in a study published today in BMC Medicine.
To test the efficacy of fear-based messages, both with and without empowering messages regarding influenza-like illness (ILI) symptoms being easily self-managed without antibiotics, researchers from the National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit sent a survey to 4,000 UK respondents.
The respondents were randomized to receive three different messages about antibiotic use and AMR: one contained a "fear-only" message, and the other two were "mild-fear-plus-empowerment" and "strong-fear-plus-empowerment". The main outcomes measured were whether the messages were "very/somewhat new" to respondents and whether the messages had an effect on the likelihood of visiting a doctor and requesting antibiotics for ILI.
Overall, 25.2% of respondents said the message they received was "very/somewhat new," with small but significant variation between messages. Of those for whom the respective information was "very/somewhat new," only those given the "strong-fear-plus-empowerment" message were significantly less likely to request antibiotics if they visited a doctor for an ILI (182/388, 46.9%), versus 116/336 (34.5%) of those who received the "mild-fear-plus-empowerment" message and 85/285 (29.8%) who received the "fear-alone" message.
Those for whom the respective information was not "very/somewhat new" said they would be less likely to request antibiotics for ILI across all messages. The three messages had analogous self-reported effects on likelihood of visiting a doctor and in subgroups defined by believing antibiotics would "definitely/probably" help an ILI.
"Consistent with meta-analyses on the effectiveness of fear-based messages in other healthcare areas, the evidence from this study suggests that fear-based messages about antibiotics and AMR are more likely to be effective in reducing consultations and antibiotic requests, especially among those with low AMR awareness, if they include 'empowering' information about effective self-management without antibiotics," the authors conclude.
Apr 23 BMC Med study
Flu vaccination helped reduce antibiotic prescriptions, study finds
A study led by researchers from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that influenza vaccination averted 1 in 25 antibiotic prescriptions among outpatients with acute respiratory illness (ARI). The results appeared today in Clinical Infectious Diseases.
For the study, researchers enrolled outpatients 6 months or older who had ARI and were treated at 50 to 60 healthcare facilities that belong to the US Flu Vaccine Effectiveness (VE) Network from 2013 through 2018.
To examine the evidence for the role of influenza vaccination on antibiotic prescribing among these outpatients, they collected data on antibiotic prescribing and diagnosis codes for ARI syndromes and calculated VE by comparing vaccination odds among influenza-positive test cases to test-negative controls. They estimated the number of ARI visits and antibiotic prescriptions averted by influenza vaccination using estimates of VE, coverage, and prevalence of antibiotic prescriptions and influenza.
Over the 5-year study period, among 37,487 enrolled patients, 18,807 (50%) were vaccinated against influenza, and 9,659 (26%) were considered influenza-positive. Antibiotics were prescribed to 36% of patients with ARI and 26% of influenza-positive patients. The top three most prevalent ARI syndromes were viral upper respiratory tract infection (47%), pharyngitis (18%), and allergy or asthma (11%). After adjusting for potential confounders, the overall VE against lab-confirmed influenza was 35% (95% confidence interval [CI], 32% to 39%).
Based on the VE and vaccination coverage, the researchers estimate that vaccination prevented 5.6% of all ARI syndromes, with a range of 2.8% (sinusitis) to 11% (clinical influenza) for each of the clinical syndromes, and 3.8% (95% CI, 3.6% to 4.1%) of antibiotic prescriptions among ARI outpatients.
The authors of the study say the findings are consistent with previous research that suggests antibiotics are overprescribed for ARI syndromes for which they are not indicated. They conclude that improvements in vaccine coverage and effectiveness, combined with efforts to reduce antibiotic use and improve diagnosis and recognition of influenza, are important strategies for reducing antibiotic prescribing for these syndromes.
Apr 23 Clin Infect Dis abstract
Review highlights areas for improvement in UK AMR strategy
A review of the UK government's first 5-year AMR strategy by the Policy Innovation and Evaluation Research Unit (PIRU) at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine has identified several areas for improvement in both human and animal health that could help strengthen implementation of future AMR policy.
The first UK AMR 5-year strategy, launched in 2013, aimed to slow the development and spread of AMR through improved antibiotic prescribing and infection prevention measures in human and animal health. The PIRU evaluation explored how the strategy was implemented and how AMR is being managed in local health services across the UK in the pig and poultry industries and companion animals.
Among the findings of the review is that while there has been considerable progress in the collection and sharing of AMR data in human health settings, there was a lack of awareness among some local National Health Service (NHS) staff of all the data that are available. In addition, some hospitals have found it easier to meet some AMR control targets than others, and there have been problems introducing and using diagnostic tests designed to distinguish between bacterial and viral infections.
On the animal health side, the review found that livestock sectors were in different stages of improving the way they use antibiotics and collect data, with some private industry groups and professional organizations demonstrating leadership. But more data over a longer period are needed to assess efforts to reduce antibiotic use in animals, and more could be done to harmonize data on AMR and antibiotic use across the human and animal health sectors so that they can be compared more easily. Veterinarians also noted that talking with pet owners about antibiotic use is challenging due to short consultations.
Finally, the review found that patients and members of the public haven’t been involved enough in the development and implementation of the strategy and that increased public involvement could lead to better ways of managing AMR.
Apr 22 PIRU UK AMR strategy evaluation