Biofilm Control Strategies: Engaging with the Public

Abstract

There are few peer-reviewed publications about public engagement with science that are written by microbiologists; those that exist tend to be a narrative of an event rather than a hypothesis-driven investigation. However, it is relatively easy for experienced scientists to use a scientific method in their approach to public engagement. This short communication describes three public engagement activities hosted by the authors, focused on biofilm control: hand hygiene, plaque control and an externally applied antimicrobial coating. In each case, audience engagement was assessed using quantitative and/or qualitative methods. A critical evaluation of the findings enabled the construction of a public engagement ‘tick list’ for future events that would enable a hypothesis-driven approach with more effective communication activities and more robust evaluation.

New Insights on Biofilm Antimicrobial Strategies

“…From a different perspective, Verran et al provided a communication discussing the relevance of public engagement activities in complex phenomena such as biofilms and Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) [ 15 ]. The authors describe three different public engagement activities focused on biofilm control, namely hand hygiene, plaque control, and an externally applied antimicrobial coating using quantitative and/or qualitative methods.…”