An exploration of midwives' understanding of antibiotic resistance and stewardship in Uganda

Abstract

Background/Aims A shortage of healthcare professionals has led to task shifting. Antibiotic prescribing is one such task that has been informally shifted to midwives in Uganda. This study aimed to explore the understanding of Ugandan midwives about antibiotic resistance and stewardship and where this knowledge is drawn from. Methods A mixed method approach was used to collect data from 29 midwives working across four healthcare facilities between February 2017 and January 2018. Interviews, observational work and secondary data were analysed to identify themes arising. Results Knowledge held by midwives about antibiotic resistance and antibiotic stewardship was found to be limited. The midwives attributed this to inadequate preparation during their training. Midwives used ‘learning in the field’ as an alternative method to inform their antibiotic prescribing practices. Conclusions Midwives are critical actors in the prevention of antibiotic resistance. Improvements in initial and continuing education are required to adequately prepare midwives for their role as antibiotic stewards.