Impact of Hospital Acquired Infection and Antibiotic Resistance Awareness Campaign on Knowledge Attitude and Practices of Medical Undergraduates in a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital, India

Abstract

Introduction: Healthcare professionals have an important role in tackling the growing menace of Hospital Acquired Infections (HAI) and Antibiotic Resistance (ABR). Regular trainings imparted early in career can result in better understanding of these crucial issues. Aim: To identify the baseline Knowledge Attitude and Practices (KAP) of 5th semester MBBS undergraduate students of a University Medical College in Rajasthan, India, and to determine the changes in these parameters after the implementation of a vigorous “HAI and ABR Awareness campaign”. Materials and Methods: This prospective interventional study involved 86, 5th semester MBBS undergraduate students. The study instrument was a preformed pretested 30 item self-administered questionnaire. The study intervention included a series of lectures, role plays, poster competition; and an audio-visual quiz. The performance of individual participants before and after the intervention was then statistically analysed with Microsoft Excel and software Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. Results: The pre-intervention overall KAP score of each student was found to be poor in 17.4%, average in 61.6%, and excellent in 20.9% in study participants. Post-intervention grades were found to be poor, average, and excellent in 1.1%, 8.14%, and 90.7% study participants, respectively. A statistically significant decrease in the percentage of students with poor grade and a significant increase in those with excellent grade were observed. Conclusion: There is a need for suitable amendments in current MBBS curriculum to include modules which comprehensively address the core issues of ABR, HAIs and Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS). This would help to bring out attitude and behavioural changes in students at the very grass-root level.

Attitudes and Commitment of Healthcare Workers toward Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) Infections in Hospitals of Thi-Qar Governorate

“…In a research conducted in Zambia, almost half of the respondents expressed positive attitudes towards Hand Hygiene [14]. Despite the positive attitudes toward Antibiotic Resistance observed among some participants in the study conducted at the Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital in India, this was not significantly reflected in their preventive practices [15].…”

Antibiotic-Dispensing Patterns and Awareness of Anti-microbial Resistance Among the Community Pharmacists in South-Central India

“…Antibiotics are one of the most commonly used drugs in the world and their improper use has become rampant [1]. The overuse and misuse of antibiotics are the contributing factors to the emerging antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which is now a global health emergency and likely an ongoing epidemic [2]. The mass production of antibiotics began a long time ago with the intention of preventing and treating infectious diseases.…”

Knowledge, attitude and practicing behaviour regarding antimicrobial use and awareness of antimicrobial resistance among clinicians

“…1 Overuse and misuse of various antimicrobials have fueled a prime rise in the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance. 2 An inevitable consequence of such inappropriate usage had made antimicrobial resistance a serious public health care concern. 3 India is known as one of the largest and most regular consumers of antibiotics.…”