Engaging patients in antimicrobial resistance and stewardship

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the perspectives of patient advisors (PAs) on the current state of antimicrobial resistance (AR) and stewardship in Canada and identifies next steps, with the goal of stimulating further collaboration for action between leaders and PAs as well as research. Design/methodology/approach – The perspectives of PAs were gathered using an electronic online survey of 72 respondents. A search of peer reviewed literature and publicly available reports informed the development of the survey and the articulation of a more comprehensive viewpoint in this paper. Findings – PAs view AR as a serious and growing public health threat. They believe sharing the responsibility for infection prevention and control and antimicrobial stewardship will help to control the problem. They see healthcare professionals as the most appropriate stakeholders to influence behaviors associated with appropriate antibiotic use, however, they also see value in public campaigns. Importantly, they identify several opportunities for PA contribution: education of care providers, patients, families, and the public; co-design and development of materials, policies, improvement initiatives, and research; and participation in and promotion of public campaigns. Practical implications – Engaging PAs as partners at all system levels is becoming common practice. PAs bring a unique and complementary perspective that could contribute to antimicrobial stewardship efforts. Originality/value – This paper begins to bridge a gap between literature and practice, and proposes that PAs can contribute to antimicrobial stewardship efforts.