The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #66361

Nadia Shalauta Juzych, ScD, MS, Maternal and Adolescent Health, Michigan Public Health Institute, 352 Baldwin, Birmingham, MI 48009, 248 342.4603, nshalaut@aol.com, Emma Bissonnette, MS, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, 600 Lafayette East, MCX650, Detroit, MI 48226, and Mary Eley, Eley O'Connor Ltd, 3550 Jones Road, Muskegon, MI 49445.

Antimicrobial resistance poses one of the greatest challenges facing public health officials today. Most bacterial species have acquired antibiotic resistance, and many have resistance to multiple drugs. This complex problem is related to the degree of exposure to antibiotics, and in the developed world is exacerbated by inappropriate use in the treatment of upper respiratory tract infections. In the U.S., penicillin resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae is as high as 40%. Educating the public about appropriate use of antibiotics is critical to slowing the development of resistance among human commensal pathogens. One of the educational efforts employed by the Michigan Antibiotic Resistance Reduction Coalition targets children in grades four to six. A pilot program was implemented with nearly 300 elementary school students who participated in one-hour programs that included a review of viruses and bacteria; transmission of microorganisms; how the human body fights disease; “stay healthy” messages; antibiotics; and, antibiotic resistance. The sessions utilized interactive tools including “Glow Germ”, water-filled balloons, and hand-washing exercises to explain dissemination of microorganisms. Pre- and post-tests of knowledge indicated an overall improvement of 15.1% (p < 0.05) with 4th graders exhibiting the greatest improvement (16.7%).

Learning Objectives:

• At the conclusion of this session, the participant will be able to articulate the merit of teaching children about public health messages.
• At the conclusion of this session, the participant will be able to describe an interactive, multi-faceted educational approach for educating school children about antimicrobial resistance.

Keywords: Antibiotic Resistance, Community Education

Related Web page: www.mi-marr.org

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.