 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Tara B. Giblin, MPH, CHES1, Ronda L. Sinkowitz-Cochran, MPH1, Denise Cardo, MD1, Pittsburgh Regional Healthcare Initiative (PRHI) Partners2, and The CDC Campaign to Prevent Antimicrobial Resistance Team1. (1) Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, Mailstop E-68, Atlanta, GA 30333, 404-498-1269, tgiblin@cdc.gov, (2) Pittsburgh Regional Healthcare Initiative, Centre City Tower, 650 Smithfield Street, Suite 2330, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Antimicrobial resistance (AR) is an emerging public health problem and has rapidly increased so that organisms exist for which no first-line treatment is effective. Guidelines and recommendations on the problem of AR consistently promote education as a key prevention strategy, and this study evaluates the CDC Campaign to Prevent Antimicrobial Resistance as an educational intervention, within the context of the Health Belief Model (HBM). The Campaign promotes clinician behavior change through 12 evidence-based steps within four strategies (Prevent Infection, Diagnose and Treat Infection Effectively, Use Antimicrobials Wisely, and Prevent Transmission) and was presented via slide set and accompanying educational materials. Following the intervention at four Pittsburgh hospitals, 117 clinicians completed a questionnaire. Increases in knowledge after the intervention were reported in all four strategies (p=0.000), and clinicians’ perceived susceptibility and severity of AR was greater nationally than in their institution (p=0.000) or practice (p=0.002). Four focus groups also were conducted with a sample of 18 clinicians who attended the intervention and 10 who did not. Perceived barriers to preventing AR reported by focus group participants included the healthcare culture, lack of knowledge, and the nursing shortage; facilitators to preventing AR included education, information technology, and consults. Suggested materials for educating clinicians about AR included computer programs, posters, and local data. It is recommended that similar educational interventions employ the HBM as a framework for evaluating perceived susceptibility, severity, and barriers, and that future health promotion efforts utilize educational materials such as those used in this study for promoting behavior change.
Learning Objectives:
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.