Next Article in Journal
Nano-Conjugated Food-Derived Antimicrobial Peptides As Natural Biopreservatives: A Review of Technology and Applications
Previous Article in Journal
Staphylococcus aureus in Horses in Nigeria: Occurrence, Antimicrobial, Methicillin and Heavy Metal Resistance and Virulence Potentials
Previous Article in Special Issue
State of Knowledge on the Acquisition, Diversity, Interspecies Attribution and Spread of Antimicrobial Resistance between Humans, Animals and the Environment: A Systematic Review
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
Antibiotics
Volume 12
Issue 2
10.3390/antibiotics12020243
antibiotics-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite question_answer Discuss in SciProfiles
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
Article

“If You Do Not Take the Medicine and Complete the Dose…It Could Cause You More Trouble”: Bringing Awareness, Local Knowledge and Experience into Antimicrobial Stewardship in Tanzania

by
Jennika Virhia
1,*,†,
Molly Gilmour
1,†,
Cairistiona Russell
1,†,
Edna Mutua
1,2,
Fortunata Nasuwa
3,
Blandina T. Mmbaga
3,4,
Stephen E. Mshana
5,
Torre Dunlea
6,
Gabriel Shirima
7,
Jeremiah Seni
5,
Tiziana Lembo
6,‡ and
Alicia Davis
1,‡
1
School of Social & Political Sciences/School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
2
KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Program, Kilifi P.O. Box 230, Kenya
3
Kilimanjaro Clinical Research Institute, Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre, Moshi P.O. Box 2236, Tanzania
4
Directorate of Research and Consultancies, Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College, Moshi P.O. Box 2240, Tanzania
5
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill-Bugando School of Medicine, Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences, Bugando Medical Centre, Mwanza P.O. Box 1464, Tanzania
6
School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
7
Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, Arusha P.O. Box 447, Tanzania
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
‡
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Antibiotics 2023, 12(2), 243; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics12020243
Submission received: 10 October 2022 / Revised: 11 January 2023 / Accepted: 18 January 2023 / Published: 25 January 2023
(This article belongs to the Special Issue One Health: Opportunities and Challenges of Antibiotic Resistance and Stewardship)
Browse Figure
Review Reports Versions Notes

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health issue disproportionately affecting low- and middle-income countries. In Tanzania, multi-drug-resistant bacteria (MDR) are highly prevalent in clinical and community settings, inhibiting effective treatment and recovery from infection. The burden of AMR can be alleviated if antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programs are coordinated and incorporate local knowledge and systemic factors. AMS includes the education of health providers to optimise antimicrobial use to improve patient outcomes while minimising AMR risks. For programmes to succeed, it is essential to understand not just the awareness of and receptiveness to AMR education, but also the opportunities and challenges facing health professionals. We conducted in-depth interviews (n = 44) with animal and human health providers in rural northern Tanzania in order to understand their experiences around AMR. In doing so, we aimed to assess the contextual factors surrounding their practices that might enable or impede the translation of knowledge into action. Specifically, we explored their motivations, training, understanding of infections and AMR, and constraints in daily practice. While providers were motivated in supporting their communities, clear issues emerged regarding training and understanding of AMR. Community health workers and retail drug dispensers exhibited the most variation in training. Inconsistencies in understandings of AMR and its drivers were apparent. Providers cited the actions of patients and other providers as contributing to AMR, perpetuating narratives of blame. Challenges related to AMR included infrastructural constraints, such as a lack of diagnostic testing. While health and AMR-specific training would be beneficial to address awareness, equally important, if not more critical, is tackling the challenges providers face in turning knowledge into action.
Keywords: antimicrobial stewardship (AMS); antimicrobial resistance (AMR); antimicrobial use (AMU); antimicrobials; antibiotics; healthcare providers; Tanzania; East Africa; sub-Saharan Africa antimicrobial stewardship (AMS); antimicrobial resistance (AMR); antimicrobial use (AMU); antimicrobials; antibiotics; healthcare providers; Tanzania; East Africa; sub-Saharan Africa

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Virhia, J.; Gilmour, M.; Russell, C.; Mutua, E.; Nasuwa, F.; Mmbaga, B.T.; Mshana, S.E.; Dunlea, T.; Shirima, G.; Seni, J.; et al. “If You Do Not Take the Medicine and Complete the Dose…It Could Cause You More Trouble”: Bringing Awareness, Local Knowledge and Experience into Antimicrobial Stewardship in Tanzania. Antibiotics 2023, 12, 243. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics12020243

AMA Style

Virhia J, Gilmour M, Russell C, Mutua E, Nasuwa F, Mmbaga BT, Mshana SE, Dunlea T, Shirima G, Seni J, et al. “If You Do Not Take the Medicine and Complete the Dose…It Could Cause You More Trouble”: Bringing Awareness, Local Knowledge and Experience into Antimicrobial Stewardship in Tanzania. Antibiotics. 2023; 12(2):243. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics12020243

Chicago/Turabian Style

Virhia, Jennika, Molly Gilmour, Cairistiona Russell, Edna Mutua, Fortunata Nasuwa, Blandina T. Mmbaga, Stephen E. Mshana, Torre Dunlea, Gabriel Shirima, Jeremiah Seni, and et al. 2023. "“If You Do Not Take the Medicine and Complete the Dose…It Could Cause You More Trouble”: Bringing Awareness, Local Knowledge and Experience into Antimicrobial Stewardship in Tanzania" Antibiotics 12, no. 2: 243. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics12020243

APA Style

Virhia, J., Gilmour, M., Russell, C., Mutua, E., Nasuwa, F., Mmbaga, B. T., Mshana, S. E., Dunlea, T., Shirima, G., Seni, J., Lembo, T., & Davis, A. (2023). “If You Do Not Take the Medicine and Complete the Dose…It Could Cause You More Trouble”: Bringing Awareness, Local Knowledge and Experience into Antimicrobial Stewardship in Tanzania. Antibiotics, 12(2), 243. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics12020243

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop